{"id":8940,"date":"2022-12-13T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T08:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/?p=8940"},"modified":"2023-08-23T20:49:40","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T20:49:40","slug":"unexpected-situations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/unexpected-situations\/","title":{"rendered":"Unexpected Situations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BazV17cQHOQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAcceptance is the answer to all my problems today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-From the<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Events are a lot like life. You never know what\u2019s going to happen next, even when you think you do. Part of becoming a great emcee is learning how to handle unexpected situations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the good news: When you learn how to do this, you will not only enjoy the events more, but you\u2019ll also receive lots of praise for <a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/what-is-the-role-of-the-master-of-ceremonies\/\">being an exceptional master<\/a> of ceremonies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The question is not, \u201cWhat should I do <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> unexpected things happen during a meeting?\u201d The question is, \u201cWhat should I do <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unexpected things happen during a meeting?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trust me, things will go wrong. Not every time \u2013 but I would say most of the time that I have hosted (well over a thousand events), something unplanned has occurred. What I\u2019ve become great at is handling the three keys to dealing with these occurrences:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acceptance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audience orientation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add-on<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s go over them now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>See Related:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/transitions-how-to-be-a-great-emcee\/\">Transitions &#8211; How To Be A Great Emcee<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Three Keys to Handling Unexpected Situations During an Event<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>1. Acceptance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lords-prayer-words.com\/famous_prayers\/god_grant_me_the_serenity.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">serenity prayer<\/a> has helped guide people into a state of peace of mind (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lord, help me to accept the things I cannot change<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), so can the art of acceptance help you gracefully navigate unexpected events that may arise onstage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8944\" src=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family.jpg\" alt=\"Financial goals future life future new opportunities prepared wait family prepared family\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Financial-goals-future-life-future-new-opportunities-prepared-wait-family-prepared-family-900x600.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practicing acceptance is not the same as agreeing with what is happening, nor does it mean you have to enjoy it. It simply means you understand that life is full of surprises. It\u2019s part of what makes life\u2013 and a great meeting\u2013 wonderful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what do I mean by accepting? It comes down to this: live in the present during a meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When something happens, don\u2019t panic\u2013 go with the flow.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Audience orientation<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t make a pivot until you recognize what just happened. Have you noticed that this is one of the keys that keep coming up in chapter after chapter? That\u2019s because you should always be thinking about what is going on in terms of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how the audience experiences it.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s an important point: Sometimes the audience isn\u2019t even aware that something unexpected has occurred. There may be no need to acknowledge the fact that you missed part of an important introduction, or that you presented the awards out of order. Don\u2019t draw the attendees\u2019 attention to something that you don\u2019t need to draw their attention to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, sometimes things happen that are blatantly obvious to the audience. You must decide in the moment: is this worth pointing out or should we just move forward?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how I decide if something has become a distraction: I acknowledge it and move on to the next thing. If it has not become a distraction, I tend to let it go and keep moving forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My question is always this: has this affected the audience, and do I need to do something about it?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Add-on<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like a good improv player will say, \u201cYes, and\u2026,\u201d handling an unexpected situation is not about canceling what just occurred, but adding on to it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let me give you a specific example. One time I called an audience member onto the platform to be part of a funny skit. He tripped and fell onto the stage. The audience gasped; they were concerned about him, as was I. <a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/hire-an-mc-for-corporate-events\/\">An amateur emcee<\/a> would have just asked him if he was okay and moved on as if nothing happened. But as a professional, I wanted to look out for him and the audience. So, I took an extra minute to make sure that he was okay\u2013 and to let the audience know that he was okay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With his permission, we carried on with the skit. In fact, he felt fine participating in the sketch. And when we were done, he earned a thunderous round of applause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I acknowledged what had occurred and added on by giving him a chance to continue with the piece. And then I added on a big round of applause from the audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for ways to build onto something that happens unexpectedly rather than negating it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we have covered how to handle unexpected events, let\u2019s talk about some of the most common ones that happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Ten Unexpected Events and How to Handle Them<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>1. The speaker goes way over time<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wish I could tell you that this is a rare occurrence, but I would say that nearly half the time you\u2019ll find that a speaker runs too long. If this happens, there are a few things you can do:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can try to artfully <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2015\/03\/7-scientifically-proven-ways-to-capture-someones-attention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get his or her attention<\/a> and remind them that they need to wrap up.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If they go <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">way<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> too long, you can gradually creep closer to them on the platform so they get the message\u2026<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cOh, I need to wrap up.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can try to make up time later in the program by cutting transitions shorter or asking the event manager if something could be dropped, like a video or certain announcements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. A key presenter doesn\u2019t show up<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember the entertainment maxim, \u201cThe show must go on.\u201d Keep in mind that in some cases, the audience may be completely unaware that the presenter didn\u2019t show up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8947\" src=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/strategy-prepare-strategy-cope-insurance-prepare-benefits-insurance-prepare-world.jpg\" alt=\"Strategy prepare strategy cope insurance prepare benefits insurance prepare world\" width=\"1350\" height=\"1044\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/strategy-prepare-strategy-cope-insurance-prepare-benefits-insurance-prepare-world.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/strategy-prepare-strategy-cope-insurance-prepare-benefits-insurance-prepare-world-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/strategy-prepare-strategy-cope-insurance-prepare-benefits-insurance-prepare-world-1024x792.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/strategy-prepare-strategy-cope-insurance-prepare-benefits-insurance-prepare-world-768x594.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a wonderful situation because you can move on with the program and not make references to the person\u2019s absence at all. Other times, it\u2019s very obvious. If so, you have a few options:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can \u201cfill.\u201d That means doing more time, like sharing a joke, interviewing attendees, adding in an icebreaker, performing a magic trick, or using another talent that you possess.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another option is to simply cut this particular session shorter.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When appropriate, it might be helpful to say something like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUnfortunately, our keynote speaker has been impacted by the airline, but we hope to plug them in later during our conference.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key is to remember that you are the guide for the audience. With that in mind, take things as they come and deal with them as best you can.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. The audio cuts out completely<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most situations, there\u2019s not much you can do except get a sense in real time if the audio technician has the situation under control. Sometimes I will look at them, and I can just tell that they\u2019re scrambling to deal with a problem at the soundboard. In that case, I will move to another mic, e.g., the podium mic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other situations, I will just speak with my natural voice and attempt to be heard by all. One tip for doing this is to speak to the back of the room, not the front of the room. You never want to yell or strain your voice, but you want to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/coolcommunicator.com\/how-to-project-your-voice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that everyone can hear you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most cases, the audio will come back on. When this happens, thank the audio tech for getting everything up and running again and moving on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. There is a video glitch\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, this happens more often than you might expect. Either a video doesn\u2019t play at all, or it gets stuck somewhere in the middle. First of all, make sure you\u2019re not backstage or somewhere where you don\u2019t realize what&#8217;s going on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it does happen, you must decide (perhaps in conversation with the AV person): Is this something that\u2019s about to be fixed right away, and can we let it go? Or do I need to fill?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your impression is that they\u2019re going to fix it\u2013 but they might need a minute or two, this is the opportunity for you to share a favorite joke or walk into the audience with a handheld microphone and give away a prize.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example:<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cI\u2019m going to give away a Starbucks gift card to the person who flew the furthest to be here with us today.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you get the impression that the video simply will not play, you have a decision to make. Do you want to fill the time? Your best bet is probably to say something like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to do our best to get you that video later in our program\u2013 and speaking of the program, we want to get right back to our exciting guest speaker. Let me introduce him now.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Bonus:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/hire-speaker\/\">Speakers &#8211; How To Be A Great Emcee<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Somebody falls or gets hurt<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, make sure they\u2019re okay! In some cases, you simply need to stop the program and ask for medical attention. This occurred recently at an event that I emceed, and the room was evacuated. And as the MC, my job was not to keep the program going but to get the person to safety and carefully guide the audience through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucop.edu\/safety-and-loss-prevention\/environmental\/program-resources\/performing-arts\/theater-maintenance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">proper exit procedure<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8946\" src=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses.jpg\" alt=\"Insurance night protect insurance death lead insurance death expenses\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Insurance-night-protect-insurance-death-lead-insurance-death-expenses-900x600.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Important note:<\/strong> As the host, your responsibility is to look out for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">everyone.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This includes the person who was hurt as well as the audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One time an alarm went off in a ballroom where I was emceeing an event, and it was clear that we were required to exit the building. So, I just carefully said, \u201cPlease exit the room. We will inform you when we can reconvene here, but let\u2019s quickly and smoothly exit the room at this time. Thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another note: As the master of ceremonies, you need to be the last to leave. Make sure everyone gets out okay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the time when someone falls, they are fine and it\u2019s just an issue of nerves. By being present and making the best call as you see fit, you can determine whether to move on or stop the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Something controversial is said or done<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once again, this is a time in which you have to make a call. Think of yourself as a quarterback faced with a game-time decision. Do you want to hand off the ball, pass it, or run with it? Give yourself an extra beat to think about what was said or done and how to best respond once you\u2019ve made your decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best bet is to ignore it if possible and accentuate the positive things <a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/hire-funny-keynote-motivational-speakers\/\">the speaker said or did<\/a>. When this is not possible, simply acknowledge it and move on. If the situation is out of control, take the time to acknowledge what occurred and then regain ownership of the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, let\u2019s say someone made a political comment that was disruptive. You might say something like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOur company values the freedom of speech, and while we don\u2019t all agree on this topic, we appreciate everyone\u2019s right to express themselves. And speaking of expressing ourselves, it\u2019s now my privilege to introduce our CEO, who\u2019s going to share his vision about where the company is headed this year.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. An important item is nowhere to be found<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes a trophy, plaque, or special gift gets misplaced. In most cases, the best bet is to move on without the needed prop whenever possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, I was emceeing an event during which the big trophy was accidentally locked up in the boardroom and not accessible to us on stage. This was a mistake on my part by not eyeballing it before we got into the awards ceremony. Sometimes as MC, you simply can\u2019t think of everything.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8943\" src=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget.jpg\" alt=\"Death surprise expenses discover advice pay cover ideas budget budget\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/death-surprise-expenses-discover-advice-pay-cover-ideas-budget-budget-900x600.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what I did in this situation is what you should probably do: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.everydayhealth.com\/emotional-health\/10-steps-moving-on\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">move on<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I presented the award and told them that a very special trophy was coming their way and that we would be showing the audience a photo of this great time at the next session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. An audience member interrupts the program<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This happens quite frequently. The best way to handle this is with a bit of positive humor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s an old joke that sometimes fits this situation\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHey, thanks for sharing. When you go to the movies, do you talk to the screen?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, most of the time it\u2019s best to simply ignore it because the audience wants to ignore it and move on with the rest of the event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you determine that the audience member has caused a terrible ruckus, it\u2019s best to acknowledge it and build a bridge to what\u2019s coming next.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>9. An emergency occurs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve been onstage when earthquakes have hit and power outages have occurred. A friend of mine was working as a host when one of the program\u2019s attendees literally died in the audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your best option in a situation like this is to do what\u2019s best for the safety of all concerned. Sometimes it\u2019s appropriate to say something like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLadies and gentlemen, please stay seated for a moment and I will tell you what to do next,\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">then get with the meeting producer, hotel manager et cetera, and determine the best course of action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep in mind that an emergency in some people\u2019s minds is not an actual emergency. One time recently, I had an attendee come up and slip me a note saying that we just had an earthquake. I didn\u2019t feel it. And most of the audience members didn\u2019t feel it. So, I didn\u2019t announce anything about it because it was actually just a small trembling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always do what\u2019s best for the time being, and always keep the audience\u2019s well-being in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>10. You mess up<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, it\u2019s bound to happen. You\u2019re a human being and even a great emcee will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifehack.org\/299971\/this-why-you-should-proud-making-mistakes#:~:text=Mistakes%20helps%20us%20understand%20that,the%20mistakes%20we%20have%20made.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">make mistakes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few that I\u2019ve made: I\u2019ve mispronounced a speaker\u2019s name, forgotten to make a key introduction, and presented awards out of order. I\u2019ve also forgotten to queue up an important video. The list goes on and on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When this happens (and it will happen), simply acknowledge your mistake and do your best to move on. Self-deprecating humor is helpful here. You might say something like, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWell, next time maybe they\u2019ll hire a professional master of ceremonies,\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making a statement like this makes you look more professional\u2026and more human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8945\" src=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee.jpg\" alt=\"Hire adam christing upcoming book how to be a great emcee\" width=\"1350\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Hire-adam-christing-upcoming-book-how-to-be-a-great-emcee-900x600.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s an example of how I messed up and what I did to recover.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One time, I was introducing a very prominent leader of a nonprofit organization. Instead of calling him Tim, I called him Tom. I did not catch this until after he was on stage speaking. Believe me, I was sweating out his presentation, unsure about what I was going to say.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I decided to not make a big deal out of it, yet I wanted to acknowledge it. Here\u2019s what I said:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTom, I may have forgotten your name, but I\u2019ll never forget your story. Thanks so much for sharing.\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was a way of acknowledging my mistake while affirming him as a leader.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The unexpected is bound to happen as long as we are living on planet earth. But don\u2019t worry\u2013 if you remember the three key rules of acceptance, audience orientation, and the power of the add-on, you\u2019ll be just fine. Every ship hits stormy waters at some time or another. Your job as the master of ceremonies is to right the ship and keep it headed toward its proper destination. You\u2019ll do great as long as you keep everyone on board!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Keep Reading:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/what-is-a-virtual-meeting\/\">Virtual Meetings &#8211; How To Be A Great Emcee<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is an excerpt from<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adam Christing<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018s forthcoming book, \u201cHow To Be A Great Emcee: The A to Z Guide to Hosting Events\u201d by America\u2019s #1 Master of Ceremonies. Follow along as new chapters get posted to this blog category each week.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cAcceptance is the answer to all my problems today.\u201d -From the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Events are a lot like life. You never know what\u2019s going to happen next, even when you think you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[92,185,184,183],"class_list":{"0":"post-8940","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-how-to-be-a-great-emcee","8":"tag-how-to-be-a-great-emcee","9":"tag-managing-stress","10":"tag-resolving-issues","11":"tag-unexpected-situations"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>13 Ways To Deal With Unexpected Situations | Adam Christing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adamchristing.com\/blog\/unexpected-situations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"13 Ways To Deal With Unexpected Situations | Adam Christing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cAcceptance is the answer to all my problems today.\u201d -From the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Events are a lot like life. 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