When the Tech Just Won’t Behave (and Everyone’s Watching)
READ TIME - 3 MINUTES
“Alright, let’s get started!” grinned Sienna, clicking to share her screen as the Tuesday morning chill settled over the conference room.
Everyone sat at round tables, clutching coffees and rubbing their hands together, hoping the new platform would finally make life easier.
She clicked “launch.”
Nothing happened.
A spinning wheel.
A few hopeful clicks. Still nothing.
From the back, Max whispered, “Try turning it off and on again?”
Sienna forced a laugh, feeling her cheeks flush. “Don’t worry, this always works in the test environment…”
The silence stretched. Someone coughed. The aircon clunked. JFC.
They’d travelled to Adelaide and gathered 50 people in the room for this!
“Classic,” muttered Max. “Tech’s got stage fright.”
Sienna took a breath. “Well, everyone, looks like we’re in for a bit of a show. Bear with me, we’ll improvise.”
…
There’s nothing quite like a live demo gone wrong to make you want the floor to open up and swallow you whole.
Maybe it’s a system rollout, a shiny new tool, or just a regular old Teams call that suddenly won’t connect.
When the tech fails (why is it always with an audience?!), it’s easy to feel exposed, frustrated, and a bit like you’ve let everyone down.
But here’s the thing: it happens to everyone.
And how you respond in that moment can actually build more trust and credibility than a flawless launch ever could.
The “Real-Time Recovery” Plan
What it is:
A simple approach to handling tech failures in front of a group so you keep your cool, keep the team engaged, and come out looking like a pro (even if the WiFi’s having a meltdown).
Why it works:
People don’t expect perfection, but they do notice how you handle the unexpected.
Staying calm, transparent, and a bit self-deprecating turns a potential disaster into a moment of shared humanity (and always, a good story for Friday drinks).
How to do it:
1. Name it and normalise it
Call out the obvious with a smile: “Looks like the gremlins are at it again.”
A bit of humour breaks the tension and reassures the group.
2. Have a backup (or a backup plan)
If you can, switch to screenshots, a quick verbal walk-through, or invite the group to share their own screens.
Even a handout or a whiteboard sketch will do in a pinch.
3. Engage your audience
Ask questions, get people talking, or open the floor for discussion while you troubleshoot.
It keeps energy up and shows you’re not rattled.
4. Be transparent, not apologetic (this is important!)
Let folks know what you’re doing to fix it, and set a quick time limit: “I’ll give this two more minutes, then we’ll pivot.”
People appreciate clarity and decisiveness.
Pro tip: Afterwards, send a short note or quick video recap for anyone who missed out due to the tech hiccup. It shows you care and helps everyone stay on track.
The Bottom Line
Tech fails are inevitable, especially when you’ve got an audience.
But if you meet the moment with calm, humour, and a plan B, you’ll turn an awkward glitch into a powerful trust-building win.
Remember: it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being human.
That’s it for this week.
Next Tuesday, we’ll tackle what to do when change fatigue turns into open cynicism, and how to bring even your most sceptical team members back onside.
Don’t miss it!
See you then,
Team EVER
PS: Someone pass this on to you?
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