10 Oct When Tech Fails, Professionalism Prevails (Lessons from my recent interview)

If you’re interested in learning more about the fast-evolving Ethiopian healthcare industry, watch my recent interview with Dr Girma Ababi. (YouTube replay link below).

But here’s a quick lesson I wanted to share from behind the scenes: During our session, we faced multiple tech issues — from mic setup challenges to internet dropouts. Given we were doing this intercontinentally — one in North America and the other in Africa — it was understandable.

Before going live, the platform wasn’t recognizing my guest’s mic, so we had to switch and use his phone for the interview. At times, the video froze, but the audio continued smoothly, so you should still be able to follow the conversation clearly.

In my virtual presentation coaching and workshops, I always remind leaders and professionals that tech issues are inevitable in today’s hybrid world. What truly matters is how you handle them.

Stay calm, composed, and professional. Your audience observes your reaction more than the interruption itself. Losing your cool, blaming technology, or complaining only magnifies the disruption.

Normally, I recommend doing a dry run before any major virtual engagement — especially when the platform is new or belongs to the client. But since this was just a podcast, I decided to skip it. In hindsight, a quick run-through could have smoothed a few rough edges (though not all).

Kudos to Dr. Girma for staying gracious and steady throughout. A great reminder that credibility isn’t tested when things go right. It’s tested when they don’t.

👉 Watch the replay here and let me know your thoughts:

#PublicSpeaking #VirtualPresentations #Leadership #Communication #Professionalism #HybridWork #Podcasting