The Gift of Embarrassment
Last year we were recognized with an award for "Community Partner of the Year”. Prior to the awards dinner and celebration a film crew came to our location to capture content for a video highlighting Footers and why we were being honored.
Having done a few of these videos, I was confident I could handle the interview and was assured that if I did make any mistakes, I could start over and they would edit it to make me look good. What happened next was not what I had expected.
The night of the awards party, our table of Footers’ team members (myself included) anticipated being recognized in front of 300 guests. The emcee announced the award and said, “Take a look at this video to learn more about Footers Catering!”.
The video began with me talking about our team and what we do. The next thing I see and hear is me, fumbling over my words, letting out a “blahhhh, let me start that again.” Mortified, I covered my face, but figured they just missed editing that part and the rest would be fine. Not so fast - the video proceeded to show multiple blips, flubs, and “redo’s”. As each one aired on the giant screen, I sank deeper into my chair with embarrassment.
In that moment I was faced with the sobering fact that I was about to have to get up in front of everyone to give an acceptance speech.
As I walked to the stage with our team, the organizer of the event apologized profusely and said, “I’m going to kill my videographer.” I realized at that moment, I wasn’t alone. He was just as embarrassed as I was and that I had a choice. I could either let this moment bury me and ruin the evening or I could brush it off and lean into the moment.
I got up to the podium and said, “Clearly I wasn’t at my best that day but I didn’t realize we were showing the blooper reel so early in the evening.” I could immediately feel the nervous tension in the room disappear.
No one is perfect, yet how many times do we expect ourselves to show up that way? To not make a mistake? To not be human? And with the ability to carefully craft how we are perceived on social media, there is even more pressure to look and act a certain way.
Embarrassing moments are going to happen in life, sometimes through no fault of our own.
Have you ever met someone who intentionally stuck that salad leaf in their teeth? Probably not.
But in these moments, we get a chance to practice vulnerability. To connect with others who’ve been there or simply know what it’s like to be in that spot.
Heart leaders give themselves grace in these situations and in return are usually given grace by others. They don’t overly stress and stew about what happened, they simply acknowledge it, let it roll off their back, and move on.
To my relief the audience that night responded with empathy, not ridicule and taught me an important lesson that often our imperfections do more to bring us together than the moments when all goes according to plan.
When was the last time you felt truly embarrassed? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything differently?
Keep MIBE-ing!
Anthony Lambatos
Founder, MIBE
Hospitality Culture Training
Owner, Footers Catering
P.S. Learn to give yourself grace: Join us at our MIBE Heart Leadership Workshop in August.
