Forty-eight hours before Rodney, a technology executive in Silicon Valley, was to speak at a major industry conference in Las Vegas, he asked my agency to prepare press materials that would be distributed during his presentation.
In short order my team assembled the materials, and provided them to Rodney for his review. Given the tight timeframe, we suggested that he carry the materials with him on the plane, as opposed to having them shipped overnight, to reduce the risk of them getting lost or misplaced.
Because Rodney was unwilling to lug the materials himself, we contacted the conference manager for specific shipping and delivery instructions to ensure the materials would arrive on time. As is routine, we also called to confirm delivery.
Rodney’s flight into Las Vegas had him arriving at the conference center about an hour before he was to speak. As he got to his room, he phoned in a panic to inform me that the materials were nowhere to be found.
I immediately called the conference manager who assured me that the materials were en route and would be delivered shortly to Rodney’s breakout room. I called Rodney to update him on the situation, and gave him the conference manager’s cell number in the event the materials didn’t arrive within the next few minutes.
Much to my disappointment, Rodney’s materials never arrived.
The next morning (and back from the conference), Rodney came to my office. He started ranting and raving about how his presentation was an abysmal failure because he lacked handouts. He described how embarrassed and unprepared he felt in front of his peers, clients, and contacts. He suggested that the fault ultimately lie with me for not handling his project to completion.
In an attempt to remain calm, I empathized with Rodney and explained that my team had done everything within its power to ensure his materials would be available. I repeated to him the steps I had taken in obtaining the conference manager’s shipping and delivery instructions, even verbally confirming with the conference manager that the materials had arrived and would be available. I also reminded him that I had recommended he carry the materials himself. Short of delivering the materials personally, I believed there was nothing more we could have done.
Rodney’s response? “Then I guess you should have gotten on a plane and delivered them yourself! You have failed!”
Throughout the course of doing business, situations arise that don’t go as planned despite our best efforts. Although we don’t have the ability to control everything, we do have the ability to control how we react in such situations.
It’s essential for brand-conscious professionals to avoid the tendency to act out or mirror someone else’s erratic behavior. Instead, remain calm, composed, and focused upon how similar situations can be avoided in the future.
In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “How you handle yourself when things don’t go your way speaks volumes about you.”
Follow
Leave a Reply