Acme built its reputation as a "we do everything" firm, but in a market that rewards specialization, this positioning has become a liability. Internally, partners disagree on whether to specialize (and in what). Robert knows the answer intellectually but can't get alignment. Sarah Nguyen privately called it "the elephant in every partner meeting."

Sarah called the generalist positioning "the elephant in every partner meeting"

Despite winning "Best Places to Work," Acme is still losing senior consultants to higher-paying firms and tech companies. Elena Rodriguez has flagged that the employer brand work from 2024 is losing momentum as the firm hasn't invested in the next phase: leadership development and career path clarity for mid-career hires.

Flagged that employer brand work from 2024 is losing momentum without further investment