If our clients, or potential clients are coming to us in a distressed condition we will need to enter the ICU to treat, or service, them.

Some business models are proactively designed to support clients in crisis or emergency mode, but most are not.

Clients in crisis tend to destabilize our environment because they are panicky, demanding, emotional and time consuming.  Many times the cost to our organization is higher than we initially thought and the return on our decision is greatly diminished and can quickly become a loss.

This loss may not be measured in absolute dollars.  The loss may be in the opportunity cost of so much attention being paid to one, or a small number of distressed client.  Are other clients and potential clients being ignored or underserved because our organization is so busy caring for the client in distress?

This loss can be masked by our desire to take on a new client, increase our footprint and grow our revenue.  This loss can also be masked by our desire to be helpful and compassionate.

We should make sure the decision to take on a client in crisis is made “eyes wide open” to the impact on our organization and our current clients.

We should avoid waking up one day to the reality that we are in the ICU and didn’t even know it.  Even the ICU can seem normal if you have been there long enough.