Mistakes. We all make them, and we make them at work. Screwing up on the job happens to everybody, so, just as it is important to avoid making mistakes, it is equally important to learn how to recover after messing up.

The key here, as with many other things, is being proactive. If you make a mistake, the important thing is to set about correcting it right away. Here are a few tips.

1. Evaluate the situation
Take a deep breath. Calm down, and assess the damage as deliberately and rationally as you can. Often, after making mistake, our emotions get the better of us and we imagine things are a lot worse than they actually are.

It may turn out that the error can be repaired relatively quickly and easily.

2. Talk to those involved.
Whoever was affected by your mistake – supervisor, coworkers, clients – you need to talk with them, explain to them what happened and why and what you are doing about it. You need to show that you understand the gravity of the situation, that you are taking full responsibility and that it won’t happen again.

Don’t dance around the issue – if you have screwed up, admit to it right up front. You will actually be more respected for owning up to your error than if you try to run away from it by blaming something or someone else.

3. Take time to reflect
Think about why the mistake happened. Was it a one-time thing or part of a larger pattern? What circumstances and actions led up to the mistake? The rather obvious point of this exercise is to determine what you can do to prevent the mistake from happening again, what changes you need to make.

4. Take action
Come up with a plan for correcting your error, the steps you will take to make things right. Explain to those involved how you will go about taking this corrective action and how you will prevent the situation from happening again.

5. Win back trust
It is likely that your reputation will take a hit because of your mistake, so you will have to work extra hard to gain back the trust you have lost. Doing good work is the best way to repair the damage – and making sure you avoid similar mistakes in the future.

If you are looking for employment in the New York City area, Winston Resources is here to help you. We have the expertise and the resources to find the right job for you. Give us a call today.