We all make mistakes, so how should we handle them?
Does the circumstance matter? Should our clients be privy to every mistake that is made? In my experience, it’s best to take these 4 steps when you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation.
- Acknowledge it
- Learn from it
- Fix it
- Move on!
Acknowledging the mistake means taking responsibility for the error that was caused, plus this will prove your credibility. Depending on the size of the mistake, you should consider disclosing it to your client as well. I’m not talking about a little mistake you can easily fix. No client wants to be bothered with every little thing. I’m talking about something that can be detrimental to the workplace. It is essential that you bite the bullet and spill the beans no matter how hard it may be. You don’t want to be caught in a lie down the road if you never disclosed the mistake in the first place.
Learning from your mistake. Now, this is important because you don’t want to be repeating the same mistakes over again. Write it down, set reminders, practice, etc. Do what you have to so the mistake is not made again. Remind yourself to double and triple check everything prior to moving forward. This will make it less likely for another error to occur.
Fixing the mistake. Since you were the one who made the mistake, it is now your responsibility to correct it. Sometimes the timing alone can be essential, so make sure to correct the error as soon as possible and go out of your way to ensure it has been fixed correctly.
Now you can breathe easily and move on! Take it easy on yourself, don’t spend time focusing on the mistake you made and the reasons why. That will just cause you to worry, and worrying can cause more mistakes. If you follow these 4 steps I guarantee the likelihood of making another mistake will decrease dramatically.
Remember we all make mistakes every now and then, but how you handle them is what makes all the difference.