Picture the scene: I am reviewing the agenda for a leadership program I’ve organized.
The topic of the day: Board Responsibilities and Legal Implications of Board Participation.
The morning line up: An attorney, a wealth management specialist, a bank president, and my boss.
We were two hours into the session and in the midst of a break. I scanned the schedule, recommitting the segments to memory. And then I saw it. Eight lines down, the 2:30pm slot. It was an insurance agent. My insurance agent. He’s great, a warm, affable guy with an easy way and an encyclopedia like knowledge of all things insurance related. He was perfect for the day. I realized as his name stared back at me that I had never called him, or actually I had, but we’d been working on setting up life insurance policies for Sean and myself and the anxiety of considering leaving the girls too soon always left my mind blank of anything but terror.
My boss walked over and said, “It’s going great.” I smiled, a rigid, toothy if-you-say-so kind of smile. I excused myself and dashed to my office. I think I might have been muttering something that would have had a passer-by believing I was of a very religious nature. Scanning the 30 emails I’d exchanged with my insurance agent in the last two months I confirmed that I had not, in fact, ever even broached the idea of him speaking at our class. I dialed his number and felt my legs buckle beneath me as the secretary asked if she could tell him who was calling. More whispered prayers and promises to never wing it again.
“Amanda, how are you? Don’t tell me you have a claim,” he laughed, a joke about a recent claim Sean made.
“Nope, no claims here. Great customer that I am.” Nervous tittering on my part and then, “So, how are you doing today?”
“Oh, can’t complain. We’ve got a person out sick, so there is covering for that, but what are you going to do?”
A person out sick? I was doomed. Shit. “What can I do for you, Amanda?” He asked lightly.
“Uh, well, I don’t suppose you have any time this afternoon?”
“This afternoon, let me see…(long pause)…electronic calenders do nothing for you if you can’t open them,” he said laughing.
I was not laughing. I was entering into a full blown sweat. “Ah, ok, here it is.”
“Maybe, umm, do you have a half an hour around 2:30?” I asked, expecting the worst.
“2:30? Let’s see. Sure, I can do that.”
Torn between wetting myself and vomiting I exclaimed, “Oh. Thank. God. Thank you, John” and proceeded to tell him what I’d done, or not done, as it were. After thanking him to such a degree that we were both embarrassed, we said goodbye and I hung up the phone. I sat shaking my head and chanting a series of thank you’s to the universe.
Later, when my boss asked if I’d like to introduce John, I laughed nervously and said, “Sure.”
Looking at him standing there in his signature slacks, dress shirt and hooded sweatshirt, knowing he’d walked the 12 blocks instead of driving like everyone else in town (everyone else who would have scoffed at the idea of agreeing to a last minute presentation) I felt I owed him something. I needed to acknowledge what had happened. I walked to the front of the room feeling stronger with each step about what I was about to do.
“Ok, our last speaker is John from the O’Brien Agency. He handles our home, car and life insurance and also takes care of Sean’s business insurance. He’s great.” The class clapped and John moved to stand. I looked at my boss and back at the class, “In the interest of full disclosure,” I began, to which everyone began laughing as if I were just making an insurance joke, my boss in particular, I continued, “Somehow, thanks to a pregnancy addled brain, after having suggesting John for this session, I never called to actually invite him.”
My boss was staring at me, a mixture of disgust and horror on his face.
“In fact it was just a couple of hours ago that John took my call and graciously agreed to come on short notice. I am forever indebted to him and with that, here is today’s closer.” John stood up, a huge grin on his face, and thanked me. I walked to my chair as my boss studiously ignored me. An embarrassment, that’s what I was to him. For my own part I felt as if I had done the best that I could given the circumstances, should I have kept my trap shut? Perhaps, but I didn’t, I followed my gut and based on the response of everyone but my boss, it seemed like I’d made the right move. Still, the look on his face haunts me.
Oh, oof. I say alls well that ends well. if your boss doesn't see that….
Oh puh-lease! I always appreciate the honesty of a situation like that! It's nice when someone else admits a mistake, it's a great equalizer, isn't it? I think you did the absolute best thing!
Honesty is always the best policy and it makes you seem "real" to everyone there because, really, who hasn't had that panic-stricken moment before?
You've got my vote.
I love your honesty! And, I think you pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
In my opinion, there is nothing stronger than a person who admits her weaknesses publicly.
(hell, isn't that why we blog?) 😉
Screw him. You could have just as easily not mentioned it. Or, you could have not bothered calling John and made an excuse that made HIM look like the bad guy. All kinds of things could have happened
What did happen is exactly right. You made John feel like a hero, the rest of the participants had their speaker. Your boss? obviously an ass for not seeing what an asset you are.
So there.
Honesty mixed with humour? Seems like the perfect combination, if you ask me.
Better a look that haunts then a kick in the ass.
And hey, you did remember.
Well hold the phone, Amanda might not be perfect!?!? But hey, you pulled it off anyway. We all make mistakes and your mistake was totally corrected before it even became a mistake.
You might not have won over the boss, but you…
1. Made everyone else feel better about something they are sure to have done in the past.
2. Made your insurance agent look like a pretty great guy. A guy who would come to help you out like that is certainly a guy I would want helping me out in a time when I might actually need that home or life insurance.
I was always taught honesty is the best policy! Doesn't mean it is always easy, or everyone will approve, but I think you did the right thing too. Appears your boss is the only one with the issue.
Sweet Amanda, I love that you revealed it all. That's what makes you YOU — it's a wonderful trait. And everyone (minus one) appreciates (ought to appreciate) that about you.
I know exactly what you mean in this post. I was a mess my last six months at work. My dad died, I was pregnant, then I gave birth.
Oy. I think everyone was relived when I quit.
But it was just a bad day, sweetie. Just a bad day.
I've had many "Oh Shit!" moments like that in my life. Seriously.
Plus, if you'd try to play it off you know you would've been busted.
(If it makes you feel better, I once missed a very important trip to prep a very important expert for trial because I went to the wrong airport. Yep, I was pregnant.)