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How to recover from a mistake at
work

By Robert
Half

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Everyone makes mistakes, and managers are no exception. Unfortunately,
because of your status and responsibilities, your missteps may garner more
attention and have more consequences than if a junior employee did something
similar. It's important to know how to recover from a mistake quickly and
move on. Below are a few examples of managerial errors and some tips for making
a comeback.

You're a micromanager
A
good boss knows the difference between managing and micromanaging. Employees
want supervisors to trust them to make decisions and work independently. When
you watch over your employees' every move like a vulture, they feel as if you're
just waiting for them to slip up. Such an environment isn't conducive to high
morale or job satisfaction.

If your own boss has told you to stop micromanaging, what do you do next? It
may be difficult, but the first step in recovering from this mistake and
regaining workers' trust is to acknowledge your shortcomings. Tell your direct
reports you've been squandering their time and talents with your micromanagement
and that things will be different from now on.

Follow through on your word. Give them decision-making power and, as the
Frozen song advises, let it go. More important, ask them to hold you
accountable in case you slip back into old habits.

You didn't give good instructions
When
employees don't get enough direction or the right information, they can take a
project down a different path than you expected. Nobody wants to start a project
over from scratch because they were given vague or confusing guidelines.
Misdirection can even make employees feel like they were set up for
failure.

If you're guilty of giving bad directions, you owe your team an apology.
Express regret for not explaining the assignment better, and then make sure
they're clear on exactly what they need to do going forward. In the future,
avoid situations like this by giving clear and detailed instructions, asking for
questions and comments, and checking in periodically to make sure nobody is
heading into the weeds.

You really stepped in it
The press loves writing about executive blunders.
Whether it's an unfortunate slip of the tongue, getting caught in a lie or
losing millions of company dollars, a public mistake is embarrassing and gut
wrenching -- and you think you'll never get over it. While some executives are
fired or asked to resign over a misstep or poor judgment, most survive the
fallout.

But how to recover from a mistake, especially when it damaged the company's
reputation (not to mention your own) and/or cost money to fix? For one, there's
no need to fall on the sword, although one in three managers surveyed for a Robert Half survey said
they've accepted blame for something that wasn't their fault.

However, if you were the one who erred, here's how to get back on your feet
and put the mistake behind you. It won't be easy, but it is necessary.

1. Say you're sorry. Apologize to your boss, shareholders, the board,
people who work for you, the public  anyone who felt the repercussions of your
mistake. Don't dodge or get defensive. Accept full responsibility for your
actions.

2. Fix the problem. Can you undo the damage or salvage the situation? If
not, do whatever you can to mitigate the impact of your mistake. If you've made
a bad hire, for
example, take the onus for firing the person and recruiting a replacement.

3. Live and learn. The worst mistake is not the one you just made, but
failing to learn from it. We are the sum of our experiences. Furthermore, don't
let this one get you down and make you afraid to take risks in the future.

No one wants to fumble on the job, but it happens. Use the incident as a
growth opportunity for yourself, your team and your organization. Knowing how to
recover from a mistake means the difference between regaining people's trust and
losing their respect  or even your job.

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Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm
with a global network of more than 400 staffing and consulting locations
worldwide. For more information about our professional services, visit roberthalf.com. For
additional management advice, read our blog at blog.roberthalf.com
or follow us on social media at roberthalf.com/follow-us.

Copyright 2014 Robert
Half. All rights reserved. The information
contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise
distributed without prior written authority.

Article Reprints
Permission must be obtained
from CareerBuilder.com to reprint any of its articles. Please send a request to
[email-masked].

Story Filed
Monday, May 19, 2014 - 4:53 PM

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