On-the-Job Blunders

A friend called me last week in a panic. “I screwed up big at work and I think I could get fired over this.” I listened to the situation. Yes, she might have missed some protocols in carrying out a project (an expensive project) but no, she wasn’t going to get fired. I helped her strategize.


1) Be calm. Walk around the block and lose your mind for a minute. But as soon as you’re back inside and dealing with the situation, you need to be calm.

2) Take ownership. If it’s your blunder, own it. Use simple language. “This was my error.” Even if it’s not yours alone (it never really is when you’re working on a team) don’t blame others. Throwing a colleague under the bus will reflect most poorly on you.

3) Determine the root cause. This is tech-speak for figuring out why it happened. If it’s a one-off mistake on your part, say so. But if it’s a procedural issue and is likely to happen again, figure out why it happened and change the methodology. Again, this is not about blame, but about improving overall business practices.


4) Take action. Do whatever needs to be done to correct the issue.  Your teammates and your boss are more concerned with the solution than the problem. Take this opportunity to shine. You will be remembered more for your ability to problem-solve than for the original mistake. Mistakes always happen, whether they’re yours or not. Employers are interested in knowing how you were able to fix something that went wrong.

5) Communicate clearly. Immediately contact all involved parties, including your boss. Again, use simple language. Accurately assess the situation and detail your actions items to solve it. Don’t leave someone out because you think the whole issue will pass over without detection. Transparency is critical here.

6) Follow up. Make sure that the solution worked. All eyes will be on this. If you don’t pay close attention to the details and let something fall through the cracks, you might face some stinging consequences. Be thorough.

7)  Praise yourself. Screw up’s are an unavoidable part of life. Feel proud that you navigated this one without adding drama or unnecessary churn to the equation. View it as a chance to learn, grow and practice life skills.