There are times where something that is tried and true and tested and retested fails us. Like that time Ashlee Simpson got busted lip synching on SNL because her track misplayed. I’m sure it worked great in dress rehearsal, and dozens of times before that even. Yet, she got outed and her career didn’t go much further than that fateful SNL appearance.

This weekend, the audio went dead during the Arizona Diamondback game against the Mets. The commentators, one of which being my all-time favorite baseball player in Mark Grace, couldn’t even communicate to the fans that there was an issue. Then the lightbulb turned on for Grace. He scrawled “WE DON’T HAVE AUDIO :(” into the telestrator like he was John Madden breaking down how much he loves Brett Favre.

What can we learn from Grace’s quick thinking? Always be prepared. What happens if your website goes down? Use social media or email to communicate with your customers. What if your PowerPoint presentation isn’t as user friendly as your intern promised it would be? Improvise. Make jokes about it. Do your best.

The ones who will succeed in the businesses world, and life in general, are the ones who are able to adapt and overcome. Things seldom go according to plan. Being able to think quickly on your feet can save you in those situations. Even if it takes a grown man using a frown-y faced emoticon to save the day.

關於作:

Andy Shore |

Andy Shore found his way to Benchmark when he replied to a job listing promising a job of half blogging, half social media. His parents still don’t believe that people get paid to do that. Since then, he’s spun his addiction to pop culture and passion for music into business and marketing posts that are the spoonful of sugar that helps the lessons go down. As the result of his boss not knowing whether or not to take him seriously, he also created the web series Ask Andy, which stars a cartoon version of himself. Despite being a cartoon, he somehow manages to be taken seriously by many of his readers ... and few of his coworkers.