You’ve had a big setback in the business.

Lost a big customer, or partner, or employee.

It has been painful, the company is wounded.

Around the wound there is an uncomfortable feeling.

It is oozing something unpleasant.

The question is whether it is laudable pus or stinking ooze.

Pus is your body’s way of healing itself. That’s good.

Stinking ooze is a sign of gangrene, that in fact the wound is not healing and is at risk of infecting the whole body. That’s bad.

Your company wounded?

Ask yourself, is the wound secreting laudable pus or stinking ooze?

If the former, it’s cool. Time will heal.

If the latter, panic.