Worst Webinar Ever

This week I hosted what might go down as the worst webinar ever. Slide deck failure, frantic hustle, bandwidth and connectivity issues. Fiascos which resulted in careening into the call with wet hair, no makeup, and butterflies, feeling anything but centered.

The moment when I really got what a mess it was happened when a participant asked:

“Can you please put your computer somewhere solid? It is moving around and making me slightly seasick.”

Right then, I wanted to hit the End Meeting for All button.

Have you had any moments like this at work lately when you felt you actually sucked? I feel you.

The webinar was a new offering for our clients amidst the COVID crisis. A pivot. The word “pivot” is everywhere right now as a business strategy.

“It’s time to pivot.”

“How are you pivoting for COVID 19?”

“Let’s make a major pivot!”

To pivot means to turn or rotate. The implication is that a pivot occurs when you are confidently running one direction, then you dig in your heel and turn yourself around to change direction. As if you knew all along you’d pivot. You’re going this way fast and then, BOOM, you turn and are going that way fast.

My pivot for my business that morning looked less like a swift, confident turn than a limp and ragged effort, imperfect at best.

Well, I did not hit the END button. Instead, I moved my laptop to the desk to stop the seasickness and shifted my mindset. I tried really hard to rise to the occasion and give them something, even though it might go down as one of my Worst Webinars Ever (WWE!)

On that day this week, showing up was the best that I could do. My team and I are working hard to creatively meet customer needs, rebrand, change systems, and offer new programs in virtual and distributed formats. We want to give our clients tools for leading with surety to make their workplaces bravespaces that are really fit for humans, to feel and use their feelings to inspire and connect, and to retool their self-talk to find new work they love amidst cataclysmic job losses. You will hear A LOT more about these programs and more (new podcast coming!) in the coming weeks as they come alive.

Meanwhile, I hope to not repeat the mistakes from the WWE.

The miracle?

The people on that webinar with me were kind. They listened, offered ideas, and shared their stories in ways that we all found helpful. They stayed until the end and asked for the slides. They sent me emails of appreciation. They forgave the imperfections and appreciated the offerings. For this, I am most grateful.

Whatever it is that you need to do today that is hard (and that you are not really ready to do perfectly) I have your back. We can survive messy. Oh, and there’s another definition for pivot, by the way, which is “the one central thing that something depends upon.” Mind. Blown.

So, during the WWE, I did the central thing. I led it. I stopped the seasickness. I stuck to the plan. I listened to the attendees. I did my level best to give them what they came for: help, support, ideas, empathy, care.

It was enough.

Keep doing what must be done because the work you do matters. Perfect is the enemy of good right now, more than ever.

You are enough.