One of our clients is the principal-in-charge of human resources at a Top 20 firm. On the whiteboardin her office are written 15 initiatives she’s working on. I read the list and asked, “Which of these are critical?”

“Who’s asking?” she deadpanned.

Her list included initiatives that she knew were critical to retaining key talent through the downturn, but that her partners did not value. The list also had projects that her partners felt were

Read Death by Initiative: Is your firm facing burnout from busy-ness?