E-couragement: Speaking Disaster - Gone Right
“More truth is comprehended through the emotion than through intellect. Grab their heart and they’ll remember the point.” C.S. Lewis “From Greensboro, North Carolina, please help me welcome, Rich Schlentz.” That’s how it started on November 2, 2012 in Raleigh, NC. For a speaker, that phrase is like the starter's pistol at the onset of the 100 yard high hurdles. Go! I am a professional communicator. I am also human, not perfect and at times my humanness gets clumsy. Just as a ill-timed jump might cause a seasoned hurdler to stumble, on this fateful morning, potential disaster loomed on stage along side of me.
It’s inevitable. Sooner or later you’re going to experience a communication blunder. That reality shouldn’t prevent you from sharing your message, your story, or your passion. Let’s consider two skillful ways in which you can take a potential speaking disaster and make it go right for you. As you master these techniques, you’ll no longer fear the dreaded speaking mishap but grow in courage to stand and express your voice.
- Ignore it and move on. When you make a mistake, resist the temptation to involve an audience in the crazy talk rambling on inside your head. No need to share thoughts like, “I can’t believe that just happened…” or “I’m so sorry about that…” This is not a Lance Armstrong or Manti Te’o issue. Simple human errors don’t require a press conference to apologize or explain your side of the story. Ignore whatever happened and move on. Your audience wants to learn and be inspired. Your job is to provide that as quickly as possible.
- Use it to your advantage. Life is funny and often provides all types of cool material to use in your communication. Use a potential disaster as a way to capture the attention of your audience. Think on your feet and turn things around. Your ability to take a real life challenge, and use if for good, might be the most powerful portion of your message. Be creative and open to ways you can use a mistake or error as a teaching lesson. Be human. Be vulnerable. Have fun.
Here’s a 30-second clip from that fateful morning in Raleigh. Seconds after I hopped on stage, a potential disaster occurred. Click on the video to see which technique I employed:
Successful communicators are engaging. They inspire, teach, and move their audience to action. They also make mistakes. Those are the times you can either ignore it and move on, or use the situation to your advantage. The key is to relax, have fun, focus on your audience, and use your imperfections to engage and inspire your listeners.
Leave your comments: Recall a time you experienced a communication blunder. How did you handle it successfully?