Surviving a mistake at work



That email you didn't send, the calculation you misread, the realisation that the deadline was yesterday... all followed by a sinking feeling, a quickening of the breath and the realisation that it's your fault. Fear not! Handled well, a mistake at work can become a great opportunity.



Start by owning up to it. It may be tempting to cover up a mistake, but any deception is unlikely to last for long and could delay attempts to put right the problem. And that's next – try to resolve the problems that you've created. Being proactive and coming to your manager with suggestions is likely to help you regain trust.



Psychologists tell us that we tend to have a negativity bias – we are more likely to remember negative things. This is why executive coach Dina Denham Smith tells us we need to make our progress in fixing the issue clear and visible. It's also important to apologise. Showing genuine remorse demonstrates that we can take ownership of our blunders.



As well as looking at how we make amends for our mix-ups to other people, we also need to be honest with ourselves. Removing emotion is important. Shame from making a mistake can cloud our judgement when deciding how to respond. It can also affect our perception of the mistake's seriousness – it's easy to exaggerate how bad something really is. Everyone makes mistakes. What's really important is how we address them.



It's important to be reflective. Consider if there's an underlying cause for the mistake, and how to prevent future slip-ups. It can also be useful to seek advice from someone who's had similar experiences in the past. Combined with our own reflections, this can be a powerful way to grow in our job and be more successful.



Academics Jasmine Virhia and Grace Lordan highlight research showing that workplaces which replace fear and blame around mistakes with opportunities for self-reflection are more psychologically safe. This allows people to learn from their mistakes, grow their skills, improve processes and ultimately productivity. Handled in the right way, by both employees and employers, mistakes can become a powerful tool for improvement.



词汇表

misread [ˌmɪsˈriːd] 看错，误读，误解

deadline ['dedlaɪn] 最后期限，截止日期

sinking feeling [ˈsɪŋkɪŋ] 不祥的预感（对即将发生的坏事的担忧和不安）

quickening [ˈkwɪkənɪŋ] 加快，变快

Fear not! 别担心！别怕！

handle [ˈhændl] 处理，应付，对待

own up to 承认，坦白（错误）

be tempting to [ˈtemptɪŋ] 做…很诱人，忍不住，倾向于

cover up 掩盖，掩饰

deception [dɪˈsepʃn] 欺骗，欺诈，诡计

put right 纠正，改正，使恢复正常

resolve [rɪˈzɒlv] 解决，处理，决心

proactive [ˌprəʊˈæktɪv] 积极主动的，主动出击的

regain trust [rɪˈɡeɪn] 重获信任

negativity bias [ˌneɡətɪˈvɪti ˈbaɪəs] 消极偏见（更倾向于关注和记忆负面的事情）

executive coach [ɪɡˈzekjətɪv kəʊtʃ] 高管教练（为高管提供指导和支持的职业教练）

genuine remorse [ˈdʒenjuɪn rɪˈmɔːs] 真诚的悔意

take ownership of [ˈəʊnəʃɪp] 对…承担责任

blunder [ˈblʌndə(r)] 愚蠢的错误，失误

make amends for [əˈmendz] 弥补，补偿

mix-up 混淆，错误，误会

cloud one's judgement 影响某人的判断

exaggerate [ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt] 夸大，夸张

address [əˈdres] 处理，应对

reflective [rɪˈflektɪv] 自省的，反思的

underlying cause [ˈʌndə(r)laɪɪŋ] 潜在原因

slip-up [ˈslɪp] 错误，疏忽，失误

psychologically safe [ˌsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkli] 心理安全的



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