The overall economy had weakened in the wake of September 11 and the "dot-com" downfall. The first large-scale layoffs in the company's history were being felt in practical and deeply emotional ways. A major element in the company's reinvention was being played out in public view—the proposed merger of HP and Compaq. These forces combined to create a tumultuous, high-risk business environment. Differing opinions about what to do and how to do it were rampant.

The article is co-written by Mickey Connolly, CEO of Conversant, and Susan Burnett, a 20-year Hewlett-Packard veteran and formerly HP's vice president of Workforce Development and Organization Effectiveness. Burnett has also been an HP line manager and has served as an elected board member and chairperson for the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD).

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