I was reminded of that recently. Sometimes despite your best preparation stuff happens. Life, as we are all too often reminded, isn’t completely within our control. When bad and unexpected stuff happens, the mark of a professional is his or her ability to recover; or to use an overused metaphor, make lemonade out of the lemons.

Two words will serve you well when it comes to your performance: the first is preparation. Good preparation results in the prevention of most problems. To the degree you can, prepare diligently to create a favorable environment and outcome. Of course the second word is recovery. When something happens beyond your control, don’t let it rattle you. Instead, use grace under pressure and make the most of the situation.