The Management E.R.

Sometimes, a consultant is called upon to do some emergency room duty, get a quick read on the symptoms, and prescribe a speedy treatment. As problem after problem is described, you move from patient to patient and determine whether these are unique cases or the first wave of an epidemic. All too often, you encounter a group that has had a low-grade fever for years while a few team members have slipped into a coma. They thought their condition was normal until they learned how much better they could be. Once they see that, there is no going back.