The Awkward Stuff
Every class has at least one moment that does not go as planned. Here is how to handle the ones that come up most often.
No class goes exactly as planned. People are unpredictable. Situations arise that are not on any agenda: the guest who will not stop talking, the one who has gone completely quiet, the person who is visibly struggling and does not want to be noticed, the mistake you make in front of everyone.
These moments feel catastrophic in anticipation and much more manageable in the moment, if you have thought about them in advance.
The hosts who handle awkward moments best are not the ones who never get them. They are the ones who have a practiced response ready, a way of moving through the difficulty without making it worse, without embarrassing anyone, and without losing the room.
The articles in this section cover the four situations that come up most often: the quiet guest, the over-talker, the guest who is struggling, and visible mistakes, whether yours or theirs.
In this section
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The quiet guest
Quiet guests are not disengaged. They are often the most deeply absorbed people in the room.
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The guest who talks too much
One guest who talks too much can shape the entire experience for everyone else. Here is how to redirect without embarrassing anyone.
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When someone struggles, and when you make a mistake
What you do when things go wrong, for your guests and for yourself, defines the atmosphere of your class.