http://casestudies.law.harvard.

edu

HLS 11-17
April 2, 2011
By Joshua Margolis and Ashish Nanda

Where to from Here?

This is a two part exercise which encourages participants to reflect on challenges at the firm level
and at a personal level.

The exercise provides participants an opportunity to reflect on and discuss in a structured

manner the personal and organizational challenges they face.
 HARVARD LAW SCHOOL

H L S 1 1 -1 7
APRIL 2, 2011

JOSHUA MARGOLIS

PY
ASHISH NANDA

Where to from Here?

O
C
This document comprises two exercises. After you have prepared your responses to both

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exercises, you will have the opportunity to work with some of your colleagues on both exercises.

O
The Firm

ST
First, the protagonist is your firm. Please fill in the following five boxes. You will be discussing
your responses with other colleagues.

O
,P
Opportunity/ Challenge
TE

Describe a major opportunity or challenge currently facing your firm.

U
IB
T R
IS
D
T
O
N

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Professor Joshua Margolis of Harvard Busiess School and Professor Ashish Nanda of Harvard Law School prepared this exercise solely as the
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basis for class discussion. This exercise is based substantially on the exercise titled “Your Own Case Study,” HBS 405-037 by Professor Joshua
Margolis. Case development at Harvard Law School is partially funded by a grant from Dechert LLP. Cases are developed solely as the basis for
class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective
management.

Copyright © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used
in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without
permission. To order copies or permissions to reproduce materials please visit our website at: http://www.law.harvard.edu/case-studies/
or contact us by phone at 617-495-3356, by mail at Harvard Law School Case Development Initiative, 10 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, Ma
02138, or by email at CaseDevelopment@law.harvard.edu.
HLS 11-17 Where to from Here?

Constraints and Barriers

What are some of the principal constraints and barriers that make it difficult to address
the opportunity/ challenge?

PY
O
C
Action Agenda

R
What action(s) do you think firm leadership should take to address the opportunity/

O
challenge?

ST
O
,P
TE

The “Undiscussables”
U

What might people (including you) be thinking about this issue but not saying?
IB
T R
IS
D
T

Reflection/ Deliberation
O

What would be one or two points related to this topic that you would like to discuss with
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your colleagues?
O
D

2
 Where to from Here? HLS 11-17

Yourself
Next, the protagonist is you. Please fill in the following five boxes. You will be discussing your
responses with some of your colleagues.

PY
Opportunity/ Challenge

Describe an opportunity or a challenge that you currently face.

O
C
R
O
ST
O
External Constraints
,P
What are some of the principal (external) constraints that make it difficult to address the
opportunity/ challenge?
TE
U
IB
T R
IS
D

Internal barriers
T

How are you likely to get in your own way in taking action? What personal patterns and
habits might derail you?
O
N
O
D

3
HLS 11-17 Where to from Here?

Action Agenda

What action(s) do you plan to take to address the opportunity/ challenge?

PY
O
C
R
Reflection/ Deliberation

O
What would be one or two points related to this topic that you would like to discuss with
your colleagues?

ST
O
,P
TE
U

Notes
IB

The following box is to be filled in only at the end of this session.

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Notes to Self
T
IS

Having had the discussion on the two subjects, would there be one or two notes that you
would make to yourself in relation to the topics?
D
T
O
N
O
D