Let’s be honest: we all make the occasional mistake at work. Some of us, more than others.
I prefer to call them “fumbles” because it just sounds nicer. Some people say things “fell through the cracks” or they “dropped the ball”. Whatever you call it, making a mistake at work is a stressful, frustrating experience.
You were late to a meeting. You forgot the report. You didn’t read the memo. Most people make similar slip-ups on the job. Yes, it happens to all of us from time to time. The important thing to remember is that mistakes cannot simply be ignored. They must be dealt with. However, if you’ve been making some major mistakes at work, it’s time to make changes to avoid dire consequences. How you deal with and recover from your mistakes can say lot about your character and your work ethic.
Here are a few pointers for how to handle the inevitable (though hopefully occasional) fumble:
Acknowledge Your Mistake Immediately
Time is of the essence when dealing with a fumble. Once you’ve realized that there is problem, consider who will be impacted by your actions (or lack thereof). What will the result be for them? Approach them immediately with honesty about what has taken place. Be straight forward and concise. Don’t beat around the bush and don’t wait. Often, we get in the habit of thinking no one will notice or we just hold our breath that circumstances will change and the mistake will no longer be important. That might work on the rare occasion. But consider the time it doesn’t work and the problem explodes. Do you want people coming back to you asking why you didn’t notify them of your mistake earlier? Acknowledging your mistake to the appropriate parties allows them the opportunity to:
a) Help in fixing the problem
b) Prepare for damage due to the mistake
c) Prevent further damage from being done
Don’t Give Long Winded Excuses
No one really cares about what caused the mistake. Sure, you and your boss might go over it again in the future in an effort to determine how to prevent it from happening again, but right now, people only care about one thing and that is dealing with it (i.e. accessing and fixing the damage done while also preventing further damage). Giving a long, drawn out excuse only makes it look like you’re trying to rationalize your fumble. Keep the reason for why it happened short unless it is absolutely necessary.
Don’t Blame Others
While it’s tempting to give a long, detailed explanation of why the mistake happened, it’s even more tempting to slide a few other people into the mix so you don’t look solely responsible. Let me tell you now that people see right through that. Even if you aren’t the only person responsible for the fumble, step up and take the responsibility. Your team mates will appreciate it and remember your loyalty in the future.
Bring Solutions
Take initiative. Go in the office early. As soon as soon as you arrive at the office, take as many actions as you can to start solving the problem. If your bosses are not in yet, then it’s the perfect time to find some things you can do to begin the process of recovery. Think about how to resolve the situation. Also, consider future problems that could happen as a result of your mistake. Take solutions with you when you address the mistake with co-workers or supervisors.
Apologize Then Move On
Upon realizing the error that had occurred, resist the temptation to bury your head in the sand and instead immediately call your bosses’ attention to the problem and apologize. It’s important to say that you’re sorry. No one wants to mess up but it still helps others to hear that you don’t feel good about it. They are then more likely to feel a desire to help out. One word of caution though: don’t overdo it. Nothing is more frustrating than someone who continues to apologize over and over again. Say it once, then, move on.
Learn From the Experience
You can do good work from that point on, by learning what you did wrong. Sometimes the only good thing to come out of a mistake is the lesson it teaches you. If you know that your boss is not happy with what you did, then you know what your boss would love to see now. It’s like reverse directions and believe me, these lessons are engrained in your psyche. It’s such an awful and uncomfortable experience, you won’t soon forget it. More than likely, you’ll be replaying exactly what happened and how a million times in your head. That’s good! It will help you identify the problem and prevent it from happening again. But don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember that we’re all human and life is nothing but a series of lessons.
Oops I did it again now what?
Focus on Your Professional Development
Often when one makes multiple mistakes, employers have doubts about the employee’s future performance. Move forward and spend extra time on the details to avoid future errors. Follow up with your boss. After a period of time, schedule a meeting with your boss to review your performance. Ask for feedback and prove that you want to grow from this experience. If you think that you are still being looked at too closely for comfort because of this mistake then ask your boss if you can attend a seminar, training or other professional development event. If they say no and site funds as a reason, then offer to pay for this event out of pocket. After attending the event, present your findings to your department and your boss to let them see that you learned your lesson and made something better in the end.
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