I was scheduled to speak about "Thinking on Your Toes" to a group of employees at a consumer
organization. I was well-prepared; I had interviewed several people from the
audience over the phone and I had my notes, handouts and driving directions
ready.
I arrived onsite
more than an hour early and stopped in the restroom on the way to having lunch
with the participants. A few seconds
later, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my leg, as if I had been poked
by a needle. I looked down at the floor and saw a black-winged insect that
was fully grown and looked like it had been reared on steroids and protein
shakes. I realized that it was a wasp,
shortly before crushing it with my shoe.
I had never
been stung by a wasp or a bee in my life. Ever. So I had no idea whether I was allergic.
I considered
the situation. There were 50 people in
the room next door getting ready to have lunch and then listen to me
speak. And I had planned an
interactive session that included improvisational exercises. What if my leg swelled up, or the sting hurt
too much to stand comfortably? How could I lead a session on "Thinking on
Your Toes" when I was sitting down? Or worse, what if I had a severe allergic reaction and went into
shock right in front of the audience?
So I went out
to the hallway, told one of the program organizers what had happened and asked
if there were any medical personnel on duty.
She looked shocked and then quickly made a phone call. In less than three minutes, the security
guard who had let me into the building earlier arrived with his little black
bag since he was a certified Emergency
Medical Technician (EMT).
Off we went
to the first aid room - Joe the EMT, the program organizer and me, limping along, and I got the grand tour along the way, because of
course, the first aid room was on the other side of the building.
I kept
saying, "This is going to make a great story! I am so going to use this story!" It's what a trainer or speaker calls a "teachable moment," when something happens that you can't
ignore and you use it to make a point.
(It's what normal people call a "Murphy's Law moment" and an
improv comedian calls a perfect opportunity!)
Joe gathered
my medical history and checked to ensure that my breathing, blood pressure and
heart rate were all normal. After administering topical cream,
antihistamines and an ice pack, he concluded that I showed no signs of a severe
allergic reaction and that I could go
ahead with the program as planned.
So, at 1
p.m., I went on as scheduled, with only some soreness and mild swelling. I led the participants through a series of
improv exercises that helped them get comfortable thinking on their feet, which
is a crucial part of their jobs. Of course, I shared the wasp
story with them, showed off my ice pack and made the connection to
"Thinking on Your Toes."
The next day,
one of the organizers emailed me: "Your presentation was filled with
interactive fun and useful information. The activities you planned encouraged
us to go beyond our comfort zones and, as made obvious by the laughter that
filled the room, your games were engaging and thoroughly enjoyed." Then
she added, "My, what extent you go through to give examples of 'thinking
on your toes'!"
What is the
moral of the story? Despite your best
plans and preparations for a presentation or anything else, sometimes things
just happen that are outside your control. Then you have to think on your feet, rely on
your experience and your skills and ask for help when needed. Be confident and trust that you will say
and do the "right" thing - and the "right" thing is
defined as the best that you can do in that moment, given those circumstances.
So the next time the unexpected happens and you have to think on your
feet, be confident that you can handle it
- just watch out for the wasp!