In this week's edition of Well, This Happened, the series that lets you become a career coach, we tackle a workplace dilemma from James. Do you think you know how to answer this AWKWARD situation? Let's find out.
James writes....
"WELL, THIS HAPPENED… I run my own small department at a larger organization. I'm still new to the role and want to prove myself.
We recently had a department heads meeting and, out of nowhere, I was asked to present an initiative that I had been working on. I'm still in the research and organization phase and didn't feel ready to present it yet. I didn't know what to do, so I presented anyway. It was very clear that I was unprepared.
I somehow stumbled my way through the presentation and fielded questions afterwards. I could tell by the looks I was getting that it wasn't going over well. It was mortifying, to say the least.
What can I do here? How can I recover after being caught off guard?"
This is a TOUGH situation for James to be in, especially since he was caught off guard. Trying to recover after a bad presentation like this can take some finesse.
So, if you were James, how would you handle this situation?
A. - Have a private conversation with your superior, explain what happened, and ask for feedback on how you could improve so this doesn't happen again.
B. - Email the other department heads to apologize & attach a more complete presentation.
C. - Speak up next time you're asked to present if you're not prepared. It's better to be honest than make yourself look bad.
D. - Email your superior to ask for a heads up next time about presenting. You want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward.
So, what do you think the right answer is? Cast your vote & let us know.
Also, be sure to check back later this week for our follow-up video that recaps the options and reveals the correct answer.
Good luck!
