Jason didn’t call it a follow-up to the executive committee meeting. Instead, he asked Margaret to stop by his office, which indicated something to her. When she entered, Jason was standing rather than sitting behind his desk.
Margaret sat down.
Jason didn’t waste any time. “I want to be clear about where we landed,” he said. “Not as a committee, but as leadership.”
“The executive committee isn’t aligned,” Jason continued. “It may not be for a while.”
Margaret didn’t flinch.
“But,” he added, “that doesn’t mean we do nothing.”
Jason continued. “Hal believes the middle years as an associate are a filter. If people can’t survive them, they’re not meant to stay at MSL.”
Margaret didn’t reply. She didn’t have to.
“I don’t agree with him,” Jason said plainly. “Not entirely.”
Margaret looked up.
“I believe endurance matters,” Jason continued. “But I no longer believe endurance alone is development. I don’t think we should keep paying the price of that assumption by losing people we didn’t intend to lose.”
Jason said, “I want to start a pilot of MLARD™ with Susan.”
“A pilot,” she repeated. “Not a rollout.”
“Exactly,” Jason said. “It should be limited, intentional, and quiet.”
Margaret nodded. “What does success look like for the MLARD pilot?”
“Understanding,” Jason said. “Before consensus. Before scale. I don’t want an announcement,” Jason continued. “I don’t want to name this firmwide, and I don’t want to provoke a fight before we know what we’re learning from the pilot.”
“Who would you like included in the pilot?” Margaret asked.
“A small group,” Jason said. “Several mid-level associates who are steady, trusted, and at risk of becoming invisible. Partners who are open to change and willing to learn.”
Jason leaned back slightly. “I want you to reach out to Susan,” he said. “Work with her to shape the pilot so it fits us, not a case study or a template. Something we can learn from without overcommitting ourselves.”
Margaret took a breath. “Hal won’t like this.”
Jason smiled faintly. “Hal won’t be asked.” The words were calm and deliberate. “This isn’t a referendum,” Jason said. “It’s an experiment.”
Margaret felt the weight of it settle. Experiments demand trust and discretion.
“I’ll need cover,” Margaret said. “You’ll have it,” Jason replied. They sat in silence for a moment.
“I’ll get it started,” Margaret said.
She had already done the math. Six partners willing to participate in quarterly conversations. Two might step into something more deliberate. Her own time, Susan’s time, four structured workshops, at least six months before the numbers would reveal anything worth reporting.
Not nothing. A pilot program to see how it works and its impact, if any.
Jason stood and said, “Good.”
As she reached the door, he called out, “Margaret?”
“This isn’t about proving Hal wrong,” Jason said. “It’s about discovering whether the mid-level years can be more than just a test of patience and stamina.”
Margaret nodded and said, “I understand.” She left his office and walked down the hall. No one stopped her or knew what had just been decided. The firm had said yes, quietly and deliberately. Margaret understood exactly how fragile that yes still was.
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.
