Ask the authorities.

THE QUESTION: I am at manager level and have obligations to the partners and my CMO. There is one powerful partner who insists on pulling me off of projects that my CMO needs. My CMO isn't backing me and tells me I need to tell the partner he will have to wait. I don't want to end up getting fired because the partner insists on that. Any advice?

Marcie O'Connor Johnson

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You've been put in a very awkward, possibly no-win situation, trying to serve two masters. If you do not please the 800-pound gorilla, it is likely to have a negative impact on your career. Then there's your CMO and her conflicting demands and apparent lack of backbone to confront the powerful partner.

What to do? Door #1 -get the CMO and the partner in the same room and ask them to work it out. Door #2--document the situation with HR in advance of the probability that you will get a bad personnel review (for not pleasing the CMO) or held back in your career (for not pleasing the powerful partner). But note, if you have to resort to Door #2, then it's time to polish up your resume and put yourself in play because you are working for the wrong folks.

Marceline O'Connor Johnson is currently manager of mischief at Schiff Hardin LLP.A former president of LMA, she has been the first director of marketing in three Chicago law firms and has been active in legal marketing since 1983.

Roberta Montafia

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Yes, it is the CMO's job to manage the politics. And it sounds like you've taken proper action by asking your CMO to intervene. Is it fair that she won't run interference? No, but what can you do? Start by congratulating yourself. The partner must have a high level of confidence in your ability and service delivery or he/she would not come to you.

The partnership model is challenging for employees simply because it is an equal ownership structure. Learning to navigate the political waters is one of the professional skills that law firm marketers need if they want to rise through the ranks and be successful. So, for you this is an opportunity.

You may not be able to influence behavioral change, but you can manage the situation better. First, get as much detail as you can: what is the task, understand the ultimate goal and define the timeline and the totality of the resource requirements. Simply having the conversation...