Happy Sunday Everyone.
I have 150 witnesses that will swear what I’m about to write happened on Friday Night. One of my favorite business partners and now great friend was awarded business person of the year in her town (Lafayette), she asked me if I’d MC the event, which I was honored to do and of course said yes. Slightly more formal than what I had in mind, pledge of allegiance, honoring dignitaries etc….So after watching all of this, I get called up to the podium and I’m thinking “I’m going to get these people on my side”, so I looked at my wife and said “WOW KIM, DANVILLE SUCKS COMPARED TO LAFAYETTE, CAN YOU BELIEVE ALL OF THIS”. Danville is where I live….so everyone laughs, I’m feeling good, and then I get to introduce the County Manager…she walks up, looks at me and says “I was the previous mayor of Danville, and sitting right there is the current City Attorney for Danville and might I say, Danville does not suck”. She wasn’t laughing either. Keep in mind, I don’t know many people there, it was one of my greatest “oh Sh#$” moments. Relatively quick on my feet, I commented on this being a great example of why I teach my boys to focus on the positive, what a jackass I was, and probably wasn’t going to be up for business person of the year in Danville anytime soon. Guests laughed very loudly, we got back on track and it basically turned into the back drop of the evening….Danville/Lafayette. Why do I tell you this? You’re going to be the jackass sometimes, when you are, go with it. In my opinion, had I done anything other than fall on the sword and call myself out as an idiot to 150 people, what turned out to be hilarious would have been very awkward. Situations like that, your nerves are on high alert, you can either dig your heals in and let your ego take over, or you can take yourself less serious, take a few jabs, and end up having it roll off as though nothing happened. My guess is I made 150 friends that night. Had I let my ego take over, tightened up, been Mr. Formal, and just got through the night after creating a fairly awkward moment up front, I’d have 150 people scratching their head as to why my friend chose me to MC this event. Yet another reminder and experience to always be working on having less of an ego, and for most of the time, taking myself less serious. It’s good to be on the right side of a learning lesson from time to time.
Have a great week ahead.