How to fix things when you’ve made a mistake at work
Whether it’s missing a deadline or mistakenly hitting ‘reply all’ on a private – and compromising – email, workplace mistakes are so common, they’re practically a rite of passage for anyone in gainful employment. But as frequent as they may be, these credibility-shattering instances can certainly put a dent in our professionalism, so it’s important to know how to handle your mistake to rectify things going forward.
Although we’re only human and all make mistakes, our response to errors can be a true show of our resolve and acumen. Here, we’ll offer some tips on how to deal with what can be a difficult issue, helping you to bounce back and get things on the right track after a workplace stumble.
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Making mistakes at work
Mistakes are natural in life; nobody is perfect. It’s important to remember that while everybody makes mistakes, what differentiates people is how they deal with the mistakes.
It could be a simple error, a lapse in judgment, or poor communication. Whatever it is, learning from it is the best thing you can do.
Ultimately, mistakes are a great opportunity to learn, and without them, we wouldn’t have very many opportunities to learn. How you deal with mistakes can define your entire career. Choosing to see these mistakes as learning opportunities will benefit you far more than dwelling on mistakes.
How to fix a mistake at work
We know that mistakes are natural and fairly common, but how exactly can you make sure this momentary setback is turned into a great learning opportunity? Read on to see how you can turn the narrative on its head.
Let yourself feel bad about it
In the immediate aftermath of your mistake, you’ll probably be feeling embarrassed, ashamed or even worried, and that’s perfectly fine; feeling like this is only natural. These feelings may pass quickly, but if not, it’s important not to let them get on top of you.
However, if these feelings and the negative thoughts haven’t dissipated as quickly as you’d hoped, then try letting off some steam in a positive way. Go for a jog, head to your next exercise class, or talk to a friend or therapist about the situation. These kinds of outlets can help to give you perspective in the process.
Take responsibility for the error
One of the most important ways of fixing things after making a mistake at work is to 100% own your error. Part of this is resisting the temptation to deflect the mistake or blame the infraction on another team member. Any attempt to throw others under the bus will only end up making things worse if it transpires that you were being dishonest about others’ involvement.
Accept responsibility for the error and be honest when approaching affected parties. It’ll demonstrate your professionalism, which is a greatly valued attribute in the workplace.
Ask yourself “why did it happen?”
As you begin the damage control of dealing with your mistake, it’s a good idea to ask how you found yourself in the current situation. Sometimes mistakes happen in a brief moment where you weren’t paying attention, however, they may also be caused by a pattern of thinking that has been building for some time.
Ask yourself the following so that you can determine your next steps in dealing with an error, and prevent it from happening in the future:
- Did I make this mistake because I’ve stopped caring about the job?
- Did I make this mistake because the job is overwhelming me?
- Did I make this mistake because I lack the right skill setor need to know more about how things work?
Apologise – if you need to
Providing you need to, apologise to the relevant parties quickly and briefly. Often this is as simple as saying “I apologise for the mistake I made, I’m working on correcting the error ASAP”. When apologising in these situations, people feel the need to overdo it with excuses and justifications, or by going overboard in their choice of language. Instead, you should simply acknowledge the mistake and move on.
In reality, it’s often the case that other people have so much on their plate anyway, they’ve probably forgotten all about the issue itself – so a simple apology should suffice.
Start building up the small wins again
When you’ve made a mistake at work, it can feel like all eyes are on you, waiting for you to make the same mistake again. In the time following a mistake, it’s a great idea to build up some goodwill in the office by building up some small wins.
Demonstrate your worth by putting in some extra effort and putting measures in place that might help avoid the mistake again. These small efforts can help to instil confidence in your team again. It’ll also help to build up your own confidence.
Present some potential fixes
Once you’ve acknowledged your faults, it’s a good idea to set out to your line manager how you intend to fix the mistake. Sometimes, this can be implementing better time management tools or actively communicating better, depending on what the mistake was.
Take the time to think about how the problem occurred so you can come up with actionable fixes for it. Not only will this soften the blow of your mistake, but it also shows that you’re being proactive about your mistake rather than letting someone else fix the problem.
Take on others’ feedback
Depending on the seriousness of the mistake, there’s a chance you might be on the receiving end of some things that are difficult to hear. Whether it’s your colleagues or your boss, people may feel slighted and let you know about it as a result.
You should focus on listening to their concerns and resist the urge to defend yourself. Instead, take on their feedback and use the mistake as a way of growing as a result. It might not make much sense at the time to passively receive feedback, but it can be hugely rewarding to hear others out and build on what they have to say.
Learn from the experience
The overarching message of this entire blog is that you need to learn from the experience in every aspect. Mistakes happen to all of us, but by assessing how the problem occurred, taking responsibility, and working with stakeholders to fix the issue, you can make sure that the mistake is a learning opportunity rather than a black mark against your name.
Remember, if a mistake does happen, don’t be too hard on yourself. Beating yourself up will only make the problem feel worse than it is.
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