The Three D’s — Dream it. Do the work. Decide how you show up.
My nine-year-old daughter froze on stage in front of 275 adults.
She came running off. Burst into tears.
But let me back up.
Three years ago, she told April and me she wanted to speak at the MIBE Summit. We said she’d have to audition. She grabbed a little microphone and declared, “You can do it. Believe in yourself.” We looked at each other and thought… maybe she can.
Adelynn on stage presenting the 3 Ds to the audience at the MIBE Summit.
Me and my sister, Stacy, supporting Adelynn while she finished her presentation.
Year one, she introduced me in front of a hundred people and crushed it.
Year two, she asked, “Daddy, why don’t I have pictures on the screen like you?” So we created graphics for her presentation.
This year, she wanted ten full minutes on stage to present:
The Three D’s — Dream it. Do the work. Decide how you show up.
Pretty incredible framework from a nine-year-old.
She walked out confidently. Strong start. Clear voice. Big Smile. She even interacted with the audience, asking them what their big dreams were.
And then she lost her place.
You could see it on her face. She tried to find the words. The room began cheering, encouraging her. But nothing came. She ran off the stage in tears and into my arms.
As a dad, every emotion hit at once.
Why did I put her in this position?
Should I have protected her?
Did I push too hard?
As I was trying to calm her down, my sister Stacy quietly walked onto the stage and held Adelynn’s hand.
No one would have blamed Adelynn for walking off stage. She would have received a standing ovation just for trying.
Through tears, she looked at us though and said, “I can do it.”
And she walked back out and she finished her speech.
It wasn’t flawless. It wasn’t how we rehearsed it. But it might have been the most powerful moment of the entire Summit.
Since then, we’ve received dozens of messages from attendees saying how inspiring it was to watch her stumble, recover, and finish.
Here’s the leadership lesson I can’t shake: Are you building an environment where people feel safe enough to fail and supported enough to get back up?
Adelynn was surrounded by a room that wanted her to succeed and that environment made all the difference.
Sometimes you have to put yourself out there. It won’t always go according to plan. But the message that room received in that moment was clear: If Adelynn can do it, I can do it.
What kind of environment are you creating for the people around you?
Keep MIBE-ing!
Anthony Lambatos
Founder, MIBE Hospitality Leadership Development
Owner, Footers Catering
P.S. Feel supported in your leadership journey. Join us at our MIBE Workshop May 12th - 13th.
