As Chris Packham exited the set with his two growling poodles, I mused that this was one scenario we hadn’t anticipated. We were live, in the middle of a programme on the growing tick problem in the UK. It was a glorious day in the New Forest. But another dog was centre stage, being checked for ticks, and Itchy and Scratchy were not happy. They went for the other dog and had to be put on the naughty step.
Presenting a live show with multiple dogs involved is always going to be tricky. I’ve done it several times. Adaptability, quick thinking and a smile are the keys to success. And experience, of course.
During this particular ‘debacle’ I was reminded of a phrase which Steve Jobs used in relation to live presentations on stage. He suggested that ” things don’t go wrong; things go differently“. Wise words indeed and a wonderfully positive way of looking at things.
I’ve been passing that mantra on to the people I’ve trained this week, and they’ve found it very helpful. It serves to release them from anxiety around ‘making a mistake’, and empowers them to be more authentic, human and natural in their style of presentation.
So, hats off to the two naughty poodles for reminding us what a clever chap Mr Jobs was.
Click here to see the programme.