Making a mistake at work can leave you feeling more than stressed. However, before you hit the panic button, keep in mind: most mistakes aren’t as bad as you think. While it’s common to get upset, it’s also not the end of the world. After all, everyone makes mistakes. What’s important is how you deal with them. So what you should you do – and not do – after a mistake is made? Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Don’t react immediately.
If the situation is not urgent, take some time to think about how to deal with it before you react. Making a decision when you are upset is never a good idea, so if you can step away from the problem or even sleep on it, you’ll be able to see it with fresh eyes. Perhaps you’ll even have a better handle on how to resolve it.
However, if the situation requires immediate attention or puts someone in harm’s way, then you must alert the necessary parties to the mistake and work to fix it immediately.
Don’t ignore the work mistake.
When you make a mistake, it’s a blow to your ego. While it might be tempting to sweep it under the rug, this can lead to unintended consequences and bigger problems down the line. Don’t point fingers of blame either.
Instead, take the dignified and professional approach – own it and apologize. Doing so gives you the authority to make amends and explain the steps you are taking to rectify the problem.
Do learn from it.
Look at the mistake as a lesson. Where did you go wrong? What can you learn from it? What should you do differently next time to ensure the mistake doesn’t happen again? Are there steps you should take that can make it less likely to happen?
If you’re facing an issue where you’re not sure what the cause of the mistake was, then you’ll need to do some digging to find out what happened. This is crucial, though, to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Let PrideStaff help.
If you find out in the process the mistake stemmed from a lack of engagement or motivation on the job; it could be time for a change. Let PrideStaff help. As a Phoenix employment agency, we can work with you to find out about your background and vision for your career so that you can make a move to a better-fit role. Search our jobs now to get started!
