Mina — the partner who had refused to listen to me in month seven — was let go three weeks later in a "restructuring." Two other senior staff who had been in Vincent's orbit were also let go. The firm paid the refund. I spent the next nine months leading the redo of the project, personally, with a rebuilt team and a properly scoped statement of work. We delivered it on time and on budget. Denny sent me a bottle of whiskey when we finished. I still speak to Denny. I am, as of last month, a managing director at the firm. I am thirty-eight years old. I run a team of eleven. I have a standing rule that I tell every new hire on their first day: if you ever believe we are lying to a client, come to my office. I will hear you. I will protect you. Nobody in my firm is ever going to sit in a war room and watch their manager blame an innocent client for his own mistakes, not as long as I am here. So tell me — was going behind my manager's back the right call, or did I sell out a colleague for a career?

* Story inspired by real-life situations. Names and details have been changed for privacy.