The sources of business tsunamis are manifold. Just in the last few days I have had executive clients bring their tsunami’s to our coaching conversations. One example is an individual who is purchasing an entertainment company that includes a radio station. The financing for this effort must be available within a two-business-day window following an FCC license approval. Just a week prior to this time, the bank said it would need an appraisal of the radio station, despite secured guarantees far in excess of the value of the loan. This threatened the whole deal.

And today, another client brought the death of the father of a close business associate with similar circumstances to the loss of her own father. This was a highly charged issue of tsunami proportions.

Each of these executives was perfectly capable of managing their way through these situations with integrity and clarity. But in both cases the coaching conversations supported them in being clear and confident about moving forward.

The tip? Be prepared for the tsunamis. You can’t stop them. They are opportunities for learning to take place. If you are trying to fix the client’s problems, then it is like trying to stop the tsunami.