Anonymous ConfessorCOMPASSION FOR A CONFESSION…
Earlier in my career I had to help the top leadership executives of an agency create marketing materials to go after new clients.
Each leadership team and I had to present their target lists and approaches to the CEO – and these meetings were usually set early mornings or evenings in order to get on everyone’s calendars.
(Again, this was earlier in my career so I was more junior by at least a decade, if not more.)
One sunny spring morning, I have my headphones on, walking to work (I still remember the song I was listening to as I played it on repeat that day).
I head in to the office and see one of the leadership teams milling around and it hits me. I completely missed their review meeting with the CEO. I ran into the CEO’s office apologizing profusely and he side-eyed me and said, he never expected this from me again. We had an abbreviated meeting but I couldn’t get over it and kept apologizing. These Executives commuted in early for MY meeting!
COLLECTIVE LESSONS LEARNED...
I just couldn’t stop apologizing. Afterward, the CEO came to me and said stop it. Stop apologizing. Apologize once. Mean it. And move on. Because I know this will never happen again. I give that same advice to this day….
