Margaret deliberately chose the moment. She walked to Jason’s office, knocked, entered, and then closed Jason’s door.
He looked up from his desk, surprised for a moment, then curious. He knew Margaret well enough to realize she wasn’t just stopping by casually.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
Margaret paused not because she was unsure but because she wanted to be precise. “Yes,” she said. “Everything’s okay.”
Jason relaxed slightly.
Then she added, “But I think we’re missing something important. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to fix.”
Jason leaned back in his chair. “Talk to me.”
Margaret sat. “I’ve been listening carefully to how we discuss associate development,” she said. “Especially how people advance through the mid-level years.”
Jason nodded. “That’s always been a demanding point.”
“It still is,” Margaret said. “That’s not what’s changed.” She let it sink in. “The work hasn’t changed. The pace hasn’t changed, and the expectations haven’t softened.”
Jason’s expression sharpened. “Then what has?”
“The path,” Margaret said. “It’s gotten harder to read.”
Jason folded his hands. “Harder how?”
“For strong associates, it’s no longer clear how today’s work translates into leadership, trust, or business development tomorrow,” she said. “They’re doing the work, but they can’t see where it’s headed.”
Jason was silent. “We never laid out the path step by step,” he finally said.
“I know,” Margaret said. “People could read it. They learned by watching who was pulled into rooms, who was trusted, and who was given exposure.” She leaned in slightly. “That still happens, but it’s no longer visible or consistent enough to be learned from.”
Jason frowned. “Are they asking us to spell it all out?”
Margaret shook her head. “No,” she said. “They’re looking for a way to identify what matters here and how today’s work becomes tomorrow’s opportunities.”
She continued, “They want to understand how leadership develops here, how judgment is evaluated, and how business development begins before someone is handed a client.”
Jason looked down at his desk, then back up. “And you think they do?”
“They’re guessing, and when people have to guess for too long, they start hedging.” Margaret said
“Hedging how?” Jason asked.
“Updating LinkedIn profiles, taking informational calls, and reframing their experience so it’s portable,” Margaret said. “Not because they want to leave, but because they can’t see where they’re headed.”
Jason exhaled. “So this isn’t about dissatisfaction.”
“No,” Margaret said. “It’s about unreadability.”
She paused, then added, “Unreadability used to be survivable. It isn’t anymore.”
Jason studied her. “What are you suggesting?”
Margaret felt the familiar urge to soften what was coming next, but she didn’t, and she told him exactly what she thought.
“I think we need to replace assumption with something designed,” she said. “A system that makes the path clear.”
Jason raised an eyebrow. “Clear how?”
“One that helps associates understand how judgment, leadership, and business development skills develop here before they’re expected to already have them,” Margaret said. “Something that lets people act with intention rather than assumption.”
She reached into her folder and placed a slim stack of documents on his desk.
“I’ve been reviewing a system called MLARD™,” she said. “It doesn’t promise outcomes or tell people what to want. It gives them the language to interpret feedback, understand expectations, and develop intentionally.”
Jason looked at the documents but hasn’t picked them up yet.
“You’re not asking me to decide,” he said.
“No, I want you to read,” Margaret said.
“And then?” Jason asked.
“Then we talk,” she said. “About whether this matches what you’re seeing and whether we’re comfortable continuing to rely on assumptions when design is required.”
Jason finally reached for the papers. “Send me the full set electronically,” he said. “I want time to review it.”
Margaret stood. As she reached for the door, Jason asked, “You don’t think effort is the problem, do you?”
“No, effort is already present. What’s missing is a map,” Margaret said.
She closed the door behind her. She was precise. The question in the room had shifted.
The MSL Saga™, MLARD™, and the 85/15 Model™ are trademarks of Susan B. Silverman Consulting. The MSL Saga and all episodes © 2026 Susan B. Silverman Consulting. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.
