A reader writes:
I’m able the place I do some business occasion internet hosting and public interviewing. I don’t organize any of the occasions, I’m only a speaker/host (I work in a associated subject too, however these gigs are freelance and paid individually.)
I had agreed to interview somebody very prestigious of their subject who was launching a brand new product. It was an enormous occasion with paid tickets, with the expectation that quotes from the interview can be used for content material, promotion, and publicity. I’ve labored with the PR firm who had been dealing with it on related occasions and it’s all been high quality.
At this current occasion, I turned up quarter-hour earlier than the interview, as requested. The VIP, who I’ll name Lee, arrived and appeared a bit of tipsy however in good humor (it was a night occasion in a venue with a bar so whereas being tipsy clearly isn’t nice, it wasn’t like they had been morning-drinking at an workplace.) I requested in the event that they needed to go over the interview questions, they mentioned no and that they’d glide on stage, and appeared high quality.
Alison, I went to the lavatory and in that point (actually about 4 minutes) Lee had downed a full glass of wine and began gulping down one other. The PR folks had been all current and laughing away prefer it was a celebration — one in all them was the one who received Lee the drinks from the venue’s bar. I used to be instantly anxious this is able to be a large number however Lee is an grownup surrounded by their publicity individuals who weren’t saying something, so I mentioned nothing. For what it’s value, there can be some allowance for this individual to lean into some “artistic genius” eccentricity in the event that they had been nonetheless fascinating and articulate, so I hoped that may be the case.
It was not.
I went on stage, gave Lee a pleasant introduction, they usually got here on stage — and it unsurprisingly and quickly went very mistaken. Lee couldn’t articulate themselves, began getting annoyed at themselves, and I might inform they had been about to start out crying. I pivoted the dialogue to some viewers suggestions on the necessity for the brand new product, early evaluations, and so on, simply to provide Lee a number of moments to breathe. As an viewers member was talking, I quietly requested Lee in the event that they needed me to wrap it up, however they mentioned they needed to listen to some extra suggestions. I vamped a bit of with the viewers, however I might see that Lee was not getting any extra composed and the viewers was conscious. I attempted to wrap it up as elegantly as I might, at which level Lee began audibly getting emotional, saying they’d ruined the occasion. The PR reps ushered Lee again to their lodge, solely mentioning to me on the way in which out that Lee hadn’t eaten something earlier than consuming, had been very anxious concerning the occasion, and had a vastly demanding week.
I really feel mortified and a bit sick. I really feel like I unwillingly participated in somebody who has a consuming difficulty, main anxiousness, or each being shoved in entrance of a crowd after they had been in a nasty state. I’ve by no means been in that place earlier than and really feel like I ought to have tried to say one thing within the three minutes we had earlier than happening stage, or perhaps ended the “interview” extra shortly. By the point we’d began, I used to be genuinely making an attempt to determine give the product some consideration and dialogue whereas not drawing consideration to Lee’s conduct — however looking back I believe it was so apparent to the viewers that Lee was drunk that I ought to have simply received them off the stage instantly, fairly than have them proceed to take a seat on stage for quarter-hour.
It’s so apparent that Lee was not in a very good area that I can’t be offended at them, I simply really feel unhappy for them — however I’m irritated on the PR workforce for not flagging Lee’s anxiousness with me and for giving them two drinks inside actually 5 minutes proper earlier than we had been happening stage. Aside from Lee’s welfare, I’m additionally anxious that I appeared unprofessional to the viewers and just like the discomfort of the occasion goes to fall on me, and, as I’m freelance, that’s an enormous deal for me by way of future jobs.
I’m undecided if something must be mentioned to the PR firm. They’re clearly conscious it didn’t go to plan for them or the product launch, so sending a message afterwards feels probably like stating the apparent?
We had additionally agreed on a price upfront which was on the idea that I might have a 45-minute interview with Lee, which clearly didn’t occur. Ought to I nonetheless count on the total quantity? I did all my analysis and preparation and arrived able to do my job, however I do know they didn’t get what they wanted. I don’t know what’s honest to count on, payment-wise?
You have to be paid for the job you agreed to do. You put aside time and ready and got here able to do the work, and you then rolled with a really tough scenario very gracefully. Nothing right here warrants a discount in your price.
In your footwear, I’d name your contact on the PR firm and say you needed to the touch base concerning the occasion and examine on Lee. It’ll be clear why you’re involved, and your contact ought to have some type of commentary on what occurred that ought to naturally deliver you to extra of a degree of closure concerning the occasion. But when for some cause they don’t do this, you can say, “That was a tricky scenario to deal with — is there something I might have completed in a different way on my finish to easy that over? I had requested Lee in the event that they needed to wrap up early they usually didn’t so I attempted to pivot to the product, however I believe it was only a tough scenario for everybody to navigate.” That is actually nearly serving to issues really feel extra wrapped up, because it’s bizarre if nobody talks to you about it.
However from there you need to ship your regular bill and assume they may pay it. It could be actually crappy of them to balk at that, similar to it might be crappy in the event that they balked at paying you as a result of a VIP received meals poisoning on stage and needed to minimize the evening brief or the rest that short-circuited an on-stage interview.