Fred Astaire
Bob sensation work, technical "Very honestly, our Directors are required delivering a strategic plan," said Andrew, not unkindly, as he picked up his glass, savoring the fine wine the Economists Club always served at their luncheon meetings. Andrew turned his attention to the day's speaker being introduced. Bob began to think.
Andrew needs a corporate planner. I want the job. My presentation skills are the question. I have to convince Andrew that I can speak effectively to a group. How?
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I want to discuss with you...."
Of course! Here's a built-in audience. I can speak to this group and let Andrew see and hear for himself how effective I can be. I'll be the best damned speaker this club ever had, and get a new job in the process. After the meeting, Bob sought out the program chairman and volunteered to make the presentation next month, much to the chairman's delight. Speakers were always hard to find. Most members came mainly for the cocktail hour, excellent meal and superb wines. Bob made sure that Andrew would be there.
He prepared diligently - researched the facts, wrote and rewrote his presentation, made slides, practiced in front of the mirror, made his wife listen to it three times.
On the day of his talk, he wore his darkest suit and most conservative tie. He was nervous but ready.
At the cocktail hour, he drank only club soda with lime. Luncheon, as usual, was excellent - roast beef, baked potato and sour cream, fresh string beans and a vintage red wine, which he never touched. Instead, to settle his nerves, he helped himself to a second baked potato and an extra helping of sour cream.
After dessert, the program chairman gave the introduction. Bob rose and stood behind his chair to speak. And it became dreadfully obvious that the double helping of sour cream had been a mistake.
The first dollop of cream probably went into his potato; the second had positively landed in the center of his tie. It was currently working its way slowly down to the tip and onto his pants.
Economists are normally a pretty serious group, but the sight of Bob with sour cream oozing down his tie brought more than a few chuckles. That rattled him, and he launched immediately into his speech. "Thank you. My topic today is World Dairy Products and How Prices Are Running."
An amused voice called out from the back, "Dairy products mostly seem to be running down your tie, Bob!"
Someone offered a napkin and he cleaned up his tie, but now he was completely unnerved, confidence and concentration shattered. He stuttered through his speech. It was so bad it was even painful for the audience. Everyone was relieved when the general discussion began and Bob could sit down.
Bob never got the job offer from Andrew. He had to admit that he really didn't have any presentation skills or he would have turned the situation around by making a joke of it. He also realized that a luncheon club was probably the least painful place to learn that lesson.
From then on, Bob volunteered to give speeches and presentations at every club he belonged to. He got better and better, and today is an accomplished public speaker. He even opens his talks occasionally with the "sour cream tie" story.
Anyone can fall on his face; it's the getting up again that counts.
