Sometimes things just stop working.
The client relationship that felt so right when you started working together has now gone bad and you dread each new project or meeting. You avoid their calls or keep them as brief as possible but still execute good work (you can't do it any other way!) and somehow they just keep on holding on. It's a difficult situation in which to find yourself and many business people are totally flummoxed as to what to do.
My solution is straightforward: divorce the client.
Much like a romantic relationship that has turned sour, hanging around for the long haul just won't cut it. There's a serious downside to perpetuating something that is no longer good but please don't think that I mean you should act hastily. Not at all. Getting divorced is serious business and here's how best to do it:
Assess the situation carefully.
Before taking any actions it's important to evaluate the situation carefully. Can the problems that you are now experiencing be changed for the better? Are the problems transitory and might the relationship or circumstances return to how they were "before"?
Or, is this simply a situation in which things have changed permanently and not for the better either?
Discuss the situation with the client
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While this might be difficult to do clearing the air is sometimes the best strategy of all. The client might not even be aware of how you feel and can easily change the situation so that the problem is eliminated. Remember that it takes much more work to bring in new.