When you made a mistake at work, we do at some point in our career, the feeling is horrible. Especially if the mistake you made is impacting the others. At best, creating more work for other coworkers. At worst, a customer gets offended. That’s when you cursed and swore, maybe you hid in the washroom or the pantry and cried a little.
Don’t feel too bad, there are a few shinings in the mud if only you can see it through your tears. For one, you learned from your mistakes and try your best not to repeat the one you just made. Secondly, from your mistake, you probably will know how your coworkers think of you. Do they go ‘Sigh! We are clearing shit for him again…” or do they come and comfort you, telling you they are alright with the extra work that you have just dumped on them? Finally, you learned while you recover from your mistakes and if one day, something similar happen to someone else, you jump in to help like what others would do for you.
Who hasn’t made a mistake? I have. I am not perfect. I once mistakenly sided someone and misplace my trust on that person, blindly trust her words and back her up without verifying the facts. I was a young manager, I was boastful, I thought I was right to side my team mate up no matter what happens. Everyone in the department was disappointed in me, thinking I was biased and unreasonable. Until the facts were placed in front of my face, the truth struck me that I have been backstabbed and lied to by someone who I placed her words in front of my job. She left the company and me in dire straits to face my own decisions.
Oh boy! That feeling was terrible. I shamefaced walked towards my department, and sincerely and openly apologise to everyone. My boss walked out of his room and stopped me in mid-sentence, said “There is no need for apologies. Everyone makes mistakes. You may misjudge her but she is the one who failed you, failed all of us, failed the company. You made us learnt more in this incident about who she is, who you are and what all of us are made of. That is nothing to be sorry about. Okay, everyone get back to work otherwise you’ll have me to be sorry to!” The whole department got closer that day. We understand that we work as a team, we win as a team.
That is not the first mistake I made at work, and won’t be my last one either. What I get back from these mistakes are:
- Sorry are futile, get your ass up and solve the situation right now
- People may forgive you once but they will not forgive you if you make the same mistake again
- Human’s memory is pretty short term. You may still harbour the guilt but I can tell you by end of the week, no one will remember who made what mistake
- If you are wrong, own up your own shit. You get more respect and forgiveness that way, rather than to fob off with a feeble excuse
- If you have to say sorry, don’t drag it. Rip it off like a plaster on your arm, quick and fast but do sound that you mean it
- Don’t waste time indulging in your guilt, be better than that, grow up from it
- You now will know who are the coworkers who will stand by you and who walk away from you
- You will also discover who brags behind your back that goes around the office, telling everyone how he / she save your arse when it is not true
- As long as your apology is heartfelt and sincere, the meanest people will forgive you
- Even if they don’t, shrug it off, you have already said sorry. It is not the end of the world. What do they want you to do? Kneel down and kow tow to them?
Have you made a mistake before? How did you rectify it? How did you feel then? Let it off your chest by sharing with us in the comments below.
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MiddleMe 
Great advice, Kally! We all make mistakes; it’s what we do afterwards that counts. It’s so important to own up to our mistakes and learn from them.
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Thank you. It’s true that we have to be brave enough and own up to our mistakes, say sorry and move on.
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Whenever we can learn from our mistakes we are ahead of the game! A little bit of humble pie never hurt any of us from time to time. It reminds us we’re human. (But it ain’t no fun!)
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True wisdom words. We are all human and prone to make mistakes no matter what.
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good one kally, as usual.. the creatures who can easily forget the goodness in employees and shout out at the mistakes, are the bosses. Nothing to be worried about it. It is boss’s duty to scold us and it’s our duty to accept it and take precautions so that it won’t recur.
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Well, bosses are humans too and they makes mistakes as well.
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ha..that’s true..
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Great advise! It’s always good to remember that people have short term memory and will forget about it by the end of the week (that’s also another way to he’ll forgive yourself)
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No one should carry grudges.. It’s too heavy a burden. Forgive and forget is easier way to go.
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I agree
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The main thing is to acknowledge your mistake and actually not hide it, stand up to it and saying you made it. We are all human and it happens. I have done them too, and I feel better when I admit it and say sorry and find a solution.
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I always feel better to let it out and work on my mistakes rather than to hide behind my guilt and shame.
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Well said. I’ve made lots of mistakes in my career and none have been fatal, but they sometimes feel that way. Cheers.
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Always at the moment of error discovery, I will break out in cold sweat. I had to calm myself down, telling myself in my head that it is not end of the world.
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Making mistakes is what makes us human. Just don’t repeat the same mistake over again, I follow this rule.
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Same here!!
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Very well said.
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Thanks!
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You are welcome.
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Where did you get that baby picture? it made me laugh this morning at 5:30 a.m. – which says it all 🙂
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Oh dear, have I disturb your sleep? But what a great way to start of a new day by laughter!! Haha!! I got the pic from pixabay.com. Free Copyright.:)
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everyone makes mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.
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True words
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Hello
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Well said, Kally….we all make mistakes…
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As long as we learn to forgive ourselves too..
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Many mistakes are made in haste, trying to correct them in haste can also be bad, depending on the situation. Somebody once said the person that never made a mistake never did anything. There is a lot of truth there because everyone who gets out of bed, puts shoes on and gets dressed will makes mistakes. The biggest mistake in life is not to get out of bed and go chase your dreams.
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Wise words from someone who walked a million miles. Thanks, Leland. You always give such good advice.
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Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
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Great advice, indeed. Thank you Kally and great day to you.
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Thanks for reading and commenting!!
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You are welcome Kally.
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So Nice n advisable post 👍 thnx
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Thanks for leaving me a comment!! And welcome to MiddleMe!
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Reblogged this on GUM | Growing Up Millennial.
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hi Kally,
thank you for this advice
Anita
https://femmeetinfos.wordpress.com
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You’re most welcome, Anita.
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