Over the course of a career, many people are asked to do something that they believe is wrong from a technical, business or ethical perspective. My e-mail confidants shared examples of such requests.

• "My department was going to invest in archaic technology ..."

• "My company wanted to initiate a pilot polymer flood on a unitized property where we operated with a 25% share, which was the largest interest. This project made no economic sense, even if successful."

• "Our conclusion was that the reserves should be reduced by 65%. My supervisor said that since I had only 2-years experience, how did I know I was more correct than the previous worker, who made the high estimate?"

• "I was asked to get a specific task done without the proper safety equipment. This not only placed me and my work crew at risk, but was in violation of government safety regulations."

The following advice is based on the experience and insight of my e-mail correspondents.

Stay calm and focus on communication. Begin with a dialog with the superior, who made the request.

• "You may have misinterpreted what is needed. Ensure that you understand the request."

• Don't assume a sinister motive. "Avoid putting your supervisor on the defensive. Give him an out where he can save face."

• If it is a technical issue, "You need to be able to convince your supervisor of your concerns and back them up with solid proof and calculations."

• Remember that "Technical work is based on assumptions and that others may make different assumptions."

Many people shared the experience of the person who wrote, "I've been lucky to have management that is flexible and willing to discuss and modify requests if needed."

If you fail to reach a mutually acceptable solution with the requestor, consider your alternatives.

Some people survive refusing orders.

• "When the superior finally realized that I was going to take it to the mat, he figured out that it was better to take the high road. He then supported my efforts and put a process in place to ensure that the problem could not surface again."

• "I did exactly as instructed while explaining to the manager why it was wrong...when asked why my name appeared nowhere on the document and why I had not signed the cover letter, documentation and final report, I explained that it wasn't my work or my idea, it was all his. If he wanted it signed, he could sign it himself. Lots of threats ensued. I politely refused and walked out. As far as I know the project results were never implemented."

Defiance is a risky approach. "The one time I held my ground entirely refusing, I ended up transferred into a job that I never wanted within a matter of weeks and my career with that company ruined."

Keep a written record of the situation. Write a memo to file or send e-mails to yourself documenting who made the request and the outcomes of meetings trying to resolve the situation.

Many people advocated going over the manager's head, but don't undertake this lightly.

"The obvious answer is to go to some higher levels in the company to address the problem issue. This is termed being a 'whistle blower' and usually has bad consequences to your future with that company."

Transferring to another part of the company may be a solution. "I strongly believed that a new product, micromanaged by my supervisor was going to miss the mark in the market place. I had lengthy discussions with my supervisor, but to no avail. I obtained a transfer to another department and avoided being part of the failure."

If your employer is unethical, you may want to exit quietly. "It is difficult to maintain image and reputation in the technical and business communities if one's previous employer 'blackballs' them. Unethical employers or managers have been known to spread undeserved venom."

If you find yourself in sustained serious conflict with your personal integrity, it is time to move on. And as one voice of experience cautioned, check out any rumors on new employers before joining them.

Eve Sprunt, evesprunt@aol.com, is an oil industry executive. Responses in quotes come from her broad network of contacts in the industry who respond to her e-mail surveys.

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