by: Toni Abramson, Vice-President

As we navigate our way through the minefield that is today’s professional world, we sometimes find ourselves in situations that test us, requiring us to find a laugh, and an opportunity, when there doesn’t seem to be either.

A perfect example of this happened to me some years ago, back when large shoulder pads in women’s attire were in vogue (I know – I’m really dating myself). I had a much sought after chance to make a presentation to a major bank. On the day of the meeting, I walked confidently into the meeting room only to find six straight-faced men dressed in dark suits, white shirts and dark ties, all seated on one side of the table. They looked like funeral attendants. Not a great start.

I started my presentation, looking each one in the eye while attempting to project more self-assurance than I was actually feeling. But as I continued on, I began to notice their original blank, numbed expressions had started to change. Their heads were now tilted, eyes wide as though they had just witnessed something frightening.

Now my self-consciousness began to turn to indignation. None of them appeared to be following my presentation at all. Instead of focusing on the creative I was unveiling, they were all looking directly at me. Worse – what their eyes seemed to be focused on was my chest! And let me just add here that my chest is not one of my remarkable features. In fact, it’s hardly noticeable.

After a few minutes of experiencing dry mouth, sweaty palms and palpitations, I could no longer resist the urge to sneak a peek down at my own chest, hoping to discover what it was that had these 6 men so fascinated.

And boy did I! To my utter shock and embarrassment, I discovered that one of my oh-so-chic shoulder pads had migrated down over my left breast. The result? One humongous-looking boob and one virtually non-existent.

Well at that point I had two choices: I could run away and die of humiliation, or I could make the best of the situation. I chose the latter, allowing myself to laugh as I stuck a determined hand down the front of my sweater and hoisted the culprit back into its correct position. To my relief, my 6 companions promptly lost their composure, melting into a fit of laughter themselves. Suddenly the meeting became real and human with the balance of the presentation going off without a hitch! And yes-we got the project.

So I guess the lesson here was “how to turn a liability into an asset”, or how to turn an “asset” into an opportunity.