Were you watching the astronauts who were scheduled to return to earth after eight days, but were stuck in space for 278 days beyond what they had planned?
It reminded me of the TV show Gilligan’s Island where the ship and its passengers are scheduled to go on a three-hour tour and ends up being shipwrecked for years.
Although not as dramatic, my last speaking trip to San Antonio included dealing with unexpected inconveniences and events. Surprisingly, good solutions kept appearing.
When unpacking the car to check into our hotel, my husband and I discovered the teal suitcase packed with my clothes and shoes hadn’t arrived with us.
The good news was the smaller bag containing my computer, cords, and makeup made the trip. Even better, my presentation outfit was on a hanger in the backseat.
Hubby, Gregg, had an extra t-shirt, so I had sleep wear. However, unless I wanted to present in tennis shoes, I needed to buy dress shoes. Unfortunately, we arrived Sunday at 6:30 pm and all the stores in the mall had closed.
Good news – there was a store on the Riverwalk with leather shoes, and they were on sale 40% off. While the shoes were slightly too big, elastic hair ties were configured as straps to keep the shoes on.
One fun convention surprise was hearing my speaking friend, Andy Core, Ph.D. give an engaging program the morning before my presentations. Additional great news, the attendees at my sessions were fabulous.
Continuing the theme of unexpectedly leaving important items behind, I left my computer cord in the meeting room. Good news – the AV company found it and gave it to my friend Monica Myhill who texted me to come retrieve it.
More good news, returning to the convention center allowed me to witness the latest in exhibits and reconnect with people I met during my programs. Tremendous news – one booth Uni Group Logistics gave me a t-shirt, Jett Branding offered a pair of socks, and TheExhibitGuru offered chair massages. The solution? I now had a change of casual clothes AND was relaxed before heading on our next leg to Austin.
No matter how much you prepare, negotiating often resembles life’s unanticipated challenges and surprising solutions.
❓Where have you dealt with a bad news/good news situation?
❓What do you tell yourself when things aren’t going your way?
❓How have you been pleasantly surprised recently?
A final fun surprise was seeing my UTD teaching assistant Samira Salehi walking during our brief stop in Austin. What are the odds?
In negotiations and in life, look for the sudden surprises during the unexpected challenges. They show up just when you need them.
Go Negotiate!
P.S. Welcome back to our astronauts and thank you for your service.
