Handling Mistakes Made in the Workplace

Let's be honest, everyone makes mistakes. We are after all all human and so human error will be part of our day-to-day lives, and that includes the way we act in our place of work.

Most people don't like or want to make mistakes in any part of their life, let alone in the work place where that mistake may impact negatively on their peers, their own reputation or the reputation of the company. Mistakes made can lead to financial losses for an organisation, they can put the quality of a company's work in a questionable light, they can add to the work load of those around you, and they can reflect badly on the individual who made the mistake in the first place. With all of this at risk, it's no wonder employees worry about making mistakes.

Some people however, can lose perspective when it comes to making mistakes. Some allow their fear of making errors to have a negative impact on their career progress - they worry that if they agree to take on a larger project or a greater level of responsibility that they will fail in some way, and so instead they decide not to accept the possibility of career advancement. Others mull excessively over mistakes they have made in the past, and they hark back to past mistakes made as a way of explaining a current situation. This is where those, 'if only I'd done', or 'If only I'd been' sentences come into play. Whilst these links from past to present may actually be true, there is nothing that can be done to rectify past mistakes now. Instead, the lesson that should be learned is that positively approaching a new opportunity, working hard to avoid mistakes but realising that you will make a mistake at some point is the best way forward for your own personal and career development.

There are other people however who refuse to admit mistakes, either because they truly don't see the mistake as being a particularly important issue or because they believe that admitting the mistake will have a hugely negative impact on the way that others see them, and on their position within their work environment. Generally, you'll find that people will be much more tolerant and accepting of a mistake that is made but admitted as opposed to a mistake that is deliberately hidden.

Being able to admit to a mistake that's been made, and then being able to act in a positive way that rectifies the mistake and allows you to go on and continue to grow positively at work is the mark of a successful person.

Try to remember therefore that it isn't logical to obsessively reflect on mistakes that you've made in the past - there is nothing you can do about them now. Instead, focus on the positive lessons you have learned through mistakes you've made before, and the techniques you have learned to ensure that you don't make the same mistakes again. And in the future, if you find that you end up making a mistake at work, don't hide it through embarrassment or self preservation. Look to rectify the mistake and mitigate the consequences as soon as possible. Then strive forward, to continue to experience working life in as positive and fulfilling a way as possible.