How to Stay on Track When the Gremlins Attack

"What's the worst that can happen?" Before I stepped onto the stage for the first time I know this was said to me, I also know that I have said it to others experiencing those, oh so common, last minute jitters.

I hate to bring this out into the open but the thing is....it won't always go smoothly, there will be glitches and though we may want to tell ourselves, and others, that it'll be fine, nothing will go wrong, this can be a white lie.

So let's talk about this reality and how we should, as the saying goes, "hope for the best but be prepared for the worst".

Admittedly not the worst but I have faced a few challenges over the last few years. I can't trump Brad who notoriously fell off the Dreamforce stage and had to be taken to hospital (he thankfully made a full recovery) but here is what I have faced:

It started off gently at Surf Force, mid-flow I was made aware that my dulcet tones weren't reaching the back of the room as the batteries in my microphone had died. They needed to be replaced and so I had to pause, mid-presentation, and wait while the batteries were replaced. Picture me, staring at the audience, who were staring right back at me.
For some unknown reason this often shy and always uncoordinated girl decided to do a little 'Everything is Awesome' dance (from the Lego Movie). It was somewhat relevant at the time but still, no Louise no....

Silliness aside, once the microphone was working again I had to remind myself where I had left off and resume my talk, really not that easy to do. 

Before we step up to start our sessions we have time to collect our thoughts, to breathe deeply, to feel prepared. Restarting after an interruption like this doesn't afford us this time and we are thrown back in, trying to pick up where we left off with some level of composure.

I definitely fed them after midnight as the Gremlins next got me at the worst possible time - when I was on the biggest stage for any Salesforce professional - at Dreamforce. 

This one was absolutely my own fault but hey! that doesn't make it any easier (and probably it makes it worse). I had semi-swallowed my nerves and stepped up onto the enormous Admin Theater stage, the crowd was huge, I had remembered my name and the name of my session, and was starting to breathe easier when I pressed the wrong button on the controller and my presentation disappeared off the main screen (well it went into edit mode).
I was up there alone, I glanced to the tech team, called out for help, I muttered to myself (and to the audience and recording since I was mic'd up), and after what felt like at least 10 minutes, someone came to rescue me and resurrect my slides.

Once again I had to pick up where I had left off, forget about the mishap, and continue with my presentation. I shook it off quite well (I hope) but it was a far from ideal start to the session and may have derailed me a few years previous.

My most recent mishap was at my London's Calling talk at the beginning of this year. I had a 40 minute slot and so decided I had the time to include a two minute YouTube video which reinforced a point I was making. I tested it, I talked to the tech team about it during setup (I was first up so wasn't rushed), but of course, at the time, with a room full of people, the video did not play. In actual fact it did, but not on screen, meaning that I didn't initially notice and so the audience had to tell me. The tech team had left the room as I was half way through the talk and so I was on my own to retry it a couple of times before having to give up and attempt to explain the content of the video......

By this time I was definitely more prepared and able to shake it off and continue without being thrown too far off my stride but STILL I could have done without it.

I can honestly say that when I started presenting in front of large numbers of people I didn't entertain the thought that things may go wrong, whether within or outside of my control. To a small extent I am grateful that I have encountered these hiccups as they have made me ready to think on my feet a bit more but also, I believe that each glitch has injected a bit more of me into my sessions, I wasn't able to go into robot mode, reciting my memorised talk, I had to talk to the audience, make a joke, try not to swear.....

All in all I realised that it is not the end of the world, that bumps in the road present themselves and we have to be ready to overcome them.

My biggest takeaway and note to you all is that at Salesforce events we are presenting to the best group of people. Yes, they may have paid good money to hear professionals speak, but they also know that we are all human, and that sometimes it is nice to see a little more personality shine through, however that comes about. If you can laugh, then they will too.

Needless to say that I will not press the wrong button on the controller again (!!), I will always ask about batteries, and I won't be try and show a video or anything 'live' without a back-up plan, but I am now very aware that I must be prepared for things to go wrong. I will also be sure to stay away from the edge of the stage.....

I hope the Gremlins leave you be but if they don't, fear not, you have got this, just smile, shrug, and don't forget to breathe.