Trust your gut

I recently took a speaking engagement that, from the moment I accepted it, did not feel right.

The time between getting a commitment from the organizer to the date of the presentation was too short. I also cut short a business trip so I could fit it in.

After surveying the participants, I decided on a different course of action than usual. Instead of customizing my traditional public speaking presentation for the group, I created an almost entirely new presentation. In a too-short time frame, with a trip in the middle, while having house guests and undergoing bathroom renovations. I was still working on the timing in my hotel room the day before the presentation, which was a bad sign.

I was scheduled at the end of a full day of training, into a tight time slot. When I arrived, early, they were already a half hour behind schedule and exhausted. I didn't have an opportunity to meet or talk to anyone before I started as I usually do. Did I mention that this was a Sunday?

As I began my presentation, I noticed several people in the hot and stuffy room struggling to stay awake.

At the end, there was no time for questions, although I offered to stay and talk with people individually. But they were all in such a rush to get home to their families and other obligations, that they pretty much all grabbed their stuff and left.

I was unsatisfied. The presentation was just okay, in my opinion. The evaluations were positive overall, but could have been lots better.

There are things I should have done differently. And there are things the organizers should have done differently. But the bottom line is this: I never should have accepted the engagement.

Am I being too hard on myself? No. I should have gone with my gut on this one.

There have been plenty of speaking engagements over the years that were not ideal, but I knew I could and should make the best of the situation. This was not one of those times. Good learning experience, though!

Have you ignored your gut and paid the price?

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