It's not that you made the mistake, but how you respond that really matters.
Despite our best efforts, mistakes can and do happen at work. It's not the fact that you make them, but how you respond that really matters.
So, hands washed and aprons on. Here's our step-by-step recipe for recovering from mistakes.
Step one: Take Your Time
As soon as you realize you've made a mistake, stop! Consider the facts. Is it really bad? And if so, how bad? Giving yourself some breathing space can stop you getting things out of proportion, or making the situation worse.
Step Two: Manage Your Emotions
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Panic, fear and embarrassment are all natural reactions when things go wrong. But these emotions can cloud your judgment and lead to hasty decisions you might later regret.
Try to stay professional. Keep your cool and focus on what you need to do next.
Step Three: Own Your Mistakes
The worst things you can do are to pretend that mistakes didn't happen, blame someone else, or try to sugarcoat the issue. Instead, decide who needs to know about it and then ask for a few moments of their time. Explain what's happened, why it happened and the potential damage done.
Also, apologize for the mistake... without going over the top about it.
Step Four: Offer Some Solutions
The best way to recover from a mistake is usually to try and fix what's gone wrong. Offer a range of solutions if possible. This might include involving others to get the job done. If so, try to return the favor when you can.
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Step Five: Expect Some Fallout
Sometimes the mistakes we make can have significant repercussions for ourselves, our team, or organization. Which can mean we lose people's confidence and respect.
But, if you stay positive and work at it, you can rebuild trust and faith in your abilities.
Step Six: Learn and Move On
Once the dust has finally settled, reflect on what went wrong, what you could have done differently, and what you can learn from your mistake. Ask for feedback and use this to help you move on to bigger and better things.
For more advice, see our accompanying article, How to Learn From Your Mistakes.
Reflective questions:
Once you've watched the video, you may wish to reflect on its content by considering the following questions:
- Think back to a time when you have made a significant mistake – what went wrong and why?
- How did you respond when you realized you had made the error?
- Did this have a positive or negative effect on the final outcome?
- What was your emotional response to your mistake?
- What could you have done differently to handle the situation better?
- Now take some time to reflect on other mistakes that have been made in your team or department – how have other people handled these and what, if anything, can you learn from their approach?
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