Here S Quick Way. A number of years ago, I was teaching a leadership class at a client site for the first time.
me. Since it was a new class, I was taking great care to ensure every detail was in place and participants received tons of value. I arrived early and started setting up, eager to make a good impression.
A sinking feeling began to develop as I placed materials on the last few seats in the room. I had set out 25 chairs, divided into 5 groups of 5, but only had enough materials for 20 participants. Normally, I would have asked a few people to share their materials, but the entire class was built around individual written assessments.
There wasn’t enough time to drive back to my car to check if I had left the materials there, and checking the hallway revealed nothing. I called the client’s security office to see if someone had found the missing materials, but still, no answer.
I was in a state of panic. With only 30 minutes before the class started, I needed to find a solution quickly. It was then that I called our operations manager on her way out the door, attempting to stay calm and explain the situation without placing blame. She suggested that I recheck the obvious places I had already searched and assured me that the correct number of materials had been packed.
Together, we quickly realized that it didn’t matter where the materials were, as I had already checked the most likely places and the class was going to start soon. Miraculously, she managed to gather copies of all the necessary materials, got on the freeway, and arrived at the client site just in time for the participants to start arriving.
I met her on the road and we rushed through security to get back to the class on time. With a deep breath, I walked into the room and started the class exactly as scheduled. I began with a story about leadership, and the participants listened intently – but I was oblivious to the fact that there was a problem. Not because nothing had gone wrong, but because there were five empty chairs in the room. It turned out that I had prepared 6 groups of 5 instead of 5 groups of 5, and the materials had been there the entire time.
The entire room had been engaged and attentive, listening to my words on leadership while I frantically searched for the missing materials that weren’t really missing at all. In the end, it turned out to be a good laugh for everyone involved – but bigger problems don’t usually end up that way, especially when projects and jobs are on the line.
Looking back on this experience, I realized just how easy it would have been to avoid the panic if I had taken a few extra minutes to examine the situation carefully and get all the facts. If we had taken the time to get the facts straight, we could have avoided a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
It’s a valuable lesson that many of us could learn from, especially when faced with unexpected challenges or emergencies. By taking the time to examine the situation fully and get all the facts before reacting, we can maintain our relationships and trust, even in the face of adversity.
So, what can you do to remind yourself to get the facts in times of crisis? Here are a few suggestions:
- Take a moment to breathe and calm down before reacting.
- Get all the facts on the table, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
- Don’t jump to conclusions or assume things.
- Seek help and advice from trusted colleagues or mentors.
By taking these simple steps, you can avoid the panic and anxiety that often come with unexpected emergencies, and maintain your relationships and trust, even in difficult situations.
Now, have you ever found yourself in a situation like this? How did you handle it? Share your story with us in the comments below and let’s learn from each other.
It’s worth noting that this experience has been widely shared and discussed in various circles, and you can find more information on handling emergencies on this source article.
