Mistakes at Work: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - What Works and What Doesn't

​It’s the moment that we make those mistakes that define our character. And as an employee who has worked for plenty of companies big and small, the reactions of people caught in a mistake can actually become categories in itself. This is because they are often so similar depending on the type of person you are.

But, those consistencies also have similarities in the consequences companies will doll out to the employees, from a pat on the back for admitting it to getting fired.

Here is what I have learned that will go well in the mistake department and what goes very, VERY badly…
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Image Credit: @krakenimages

1. Own up to your mistake- This is the least common reaction. People love to blame others but blaming someone else isn’t going to change the fact that you made the mistake. And likely, the people around you are fully aware that you made the mistake, so by not owning up to it, you are telling your boss and co-workers that you are a liar and you can’t handle things.
 
2. Apologize- You may think this is the same as owning up to your mistake but it is not. If you accept that you have made the mistake, it’s not always enough to just say or admit that the mistake was your fault. Your mistake may have caused issues for others and a simple apology will help people feel like their effort wasn’t for nothing.
 
3. Don’t dwell on it- We all make mistakes, and while some are bigger than others, if you can’t forgive yourself for making the mistake then you can’t focus on how to fix it, if the mistake is fixable. But fixable or not, moving on will help others move on from the situation as well.
 
4. Learn from your mistake- I can’t tell you how many times people make the same mistakes over and over again coming up with the same excuses. If you can’t learn and understand what you did wrong which will unavoidably cause you to make the same mistakes, then why would any company think about keeping you around? Or a boss think it’s a good idea to promote you? Because everyone around you knows that you will live in this perpetual cycle of mistakes, never getting anything done. Or you can learn from your mistakes and watch your career flourish.
 
5. Figure out a fix or an even better alternative method- This will set you apart. If you can come up with a way to make the mistake a “blessing in disguise” or a fix that will allow deadlines to still be met or delayed only by a short amount of time, you will be the villain back to hero in no time. Those are the types of qualities management is often looking for when they want leadership.

What NOT to do:

​1. Blame it on someone else- There may have been the involvement of others but this isn’t about them, it’s about you. Now that doesn’t mean you should take the blame for someone else, but you can accept the part you played and own up to your own portion without trying to lessen the mistake by making someone else the bigger offender.
 
2. Make excuses- What is an excuse going to give you except for distrust? Just accept that perfection is impossible and don’t prolong your situation by making excuses. Even if there is a great excuse, the likelihood that anyone cares what it is truly, is low. So don’t waste their time, and make sure that you are ready for a result. We all got problems don’t we? And people are way more focused on their own to take yours into consideration more often than not.

​My list is comprised of my own experiences but I would love to hear all about yours…what other methods do you have to get out of a mistake made at work?