You’re Not Too Good to Fail
Summary: There’s a reason we sometimes fail miserably at tasks we can usually execute standing on one leg, while juggling puppies with our eyes closed. You might have killed a presentation to one group and then failed miserably when delivering it to another. How can someone be so bad immediately after being so good?
- As a stand-up comedian, I have seen this firsthand. To manage it, I believe in starting my gigs by first building trust with the audience. I usually structure my sets with the safer and more palatable material at the top before moving on to content that is more contentious or risqué.
- As my performance progresses and the audience starts to like and understand me, a foundation of trust begins to form. The audience is then more willing to let me lead them to places where they may not have been willing to go initially.
- As an executive coach I am always respectful of my clients’ knowledge and experience. First, I make an effort to understand them and the context in which they operate. Second, I don’t presume or proclaim to know better. I explore developmental paths together, based on the response I get from my client’s actions in real time.
