Desperation Is A Funny Thing.
Desperation never looks good on anyone no matter the new color of the season.
“The whole point of having a business is to help you live life on your terms, and working with difficult clients who make you miserable doesn’t have to be a part of that.”
Desperation’s a funny thing. It can push you to do things you never thought you’d do.
It might push you to take risks you need to take, but would never take otherwise — like finally start your business instead of getting another 9 to 5 job, investing in business coaching, and so on.
But when you don’t channel it properly, it can cause you to do crazy, stupid stuff… agreeing to take six boys camping when you have not been in twenty years.
…and other things that really aren’t good for you, like take on ANY client who wants to work with you, even if they’re a huge pain in the neck and drag you and your reputation to rock bottom.
When you’re just starting out, maybe that sounds better than being evicted, having the bank repossess your car, or going without food for even one more day.
Many entrepreneurs continue working with difficult clients even after they’re successful, thinking they’ll “miss out” on money or opportunities if they don’t work with everyone.
At one point in my past, a few bad apples started derailing my team's morale — so much so the team came dangerously close to spilting up and moving on.
Desperate to keep that from happening, I created a team advisory board to help change our team directions.
And one of the first things they did was “fire” several of our clients. Why?
Because the team members focused on two simple questions to help them see what was needed to build a unified team vision that’d spur growth.
Their commitment to this vision was so strong, they agreed to fire the clients who were dragging down morale and preventing the company vision from fully manifesting.
It was a difficult step to take, but many people don’t realize what an impact having a unified team vision has on the success of the business.
A clear vision helps dictate what clients you take on board, influences the team culture, and impacts the morale of your team.
The whole point of having a business is to help you live life on your terms, and working with difficult clients who make you miserable doesn’t have to be a part of that.
Deciding who you want to work with, and why, is a huge part of having a team vision.
A difficult client is often not the fault of the client but the fact that you or your team have chosen to work with someone that is not in enlightenment with your team's strength and purpose. Release that client often lead to win-win. Remember you are in this to be of service to others first.
