Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You meet with Mrs. Calhoun as soon as possible and explain the urgency of the situation.
Mrs. Calhoun sits quietly while the story unfolds. At one point, she looks like she is about to say something, but nothing comes out. When you're done, you wait for the reply.
Mrs. Calhoun chooses her words carefully. "My dear, I assure you this is the first I've heard of this. You cannot know how much of a shock this is. I know my late husband liked to cut corners. I did not know it continued to this day. I'm so sorry.
"Here's what we can do," she continues.
"We will immediately suspend operations at the catering firm based on your information. As soon as we can appoint an interim manager, we will reopen for business. Can we ask for your support in not running this article while we make this appalling situation right? And you can be assured we will continue to be a major supporter of your paper."
Editor John Arendt knows about tough decisions. "Editors must manage people and information. They must be able to work well under pressure. Crisis situations and big stories can happen on a production day, when there's little time to ponder them. It's important for editors to be able to think on their feet, think creatively and make snap decisions."