John is a senior portfolio manager at a prestigious investment firm. He has built strong relationships with various institutional clients, prioritizing their returns and maintaining open communication. However, a recent reallocation in his investment strategy has yielded performance results that are below client expectations. Feeling pressured by his superiors to justify these changes, John considers embellishing the performance data in his upcoming client presentations to avoid disappointing the clients and maintain the firm’s reputation.
Discuss the ethical implications of John's intended actions concerning CFA Institute’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. In your response, evaluate the concept of professionalism in this context and how it applies to John's decision-making process. Include recommendations for best practices that John should adhere to in this situation to fulfill his ethical obligations.