We've all been there before. It might be something minor such as a typo in an email or, addressing the wrong recipient. It could also be something major, such as losing a valuable client or missing an important deadline. To err is human, but to sit back and not do anything about a workplace mistake made is not. So how do you bounce back from it?
1. Own up
We're all adults, so it definitely won't do you any good to play the blame game. Pointing fingers, putting the blame on someone else, or trying too hard to explain yourself will just create the impression that you're being defensive. If it wasn't your fault, by all means explain; but if it truly is, own up. Take responsibility for the mistake and apologise if need be, and you'll probably rake up some brownie points by being honest about it.
2. Lesson learnt
Here comes the second and most vital part - learning from it. How you deal with the mistake and ensure it doesn't happen again is, what matters most. Analyse the situation and find out what exactly went wrong. How could you have avoided the mistake? How could you have done better? What were the other steps you could have taken to solve the problem? Address the root causes and work out a plan to avoid the same mistake in future. The last thing you'd want is to go down in history as the "guy who keeps messing up".
3. Bounce back
The best thing you can do to erase the memory of your mistake in people's heads is to follow up quickly with a major win. Score a new client, suggest a great initiative, or offer to head up a new project. The key is to impress your boss and colleagues, so they remember you for your stellar work attitude and professionalism, instead of the mistake you made earlier on.
Use your mistake as a motivation to perform even better at your job. Remember; learn from those blunders, solve the problems, and go on to more successes - and you can, too.
For more insightful articles and tips, visit JobStreet.com's Career Resources page to find out more!
