Ways To Save Face After Making Mistakes At Work

Don’t panic. Working from home or in an office, mistakes happen. We all wish we had double-checked our numbers, reread an email before sending it, or kept our lips shut. Mistakes at work are painful but teachable.

You’re not alone. Mistakes are also difficult. It equals workplace disagreements, personal issues, and severe workloads.

After admitting your mistake and fixing it, you may be smarter and more prepared for future challenges. First, save face.

Start with these five steps:

1. Take a Breath

You realize your first instinct to silently leave the office and buy a one-way ticket to another country is probably not the greatest. Breathe before making a decision.

Stress causes “chest breathing” and anxiety. Deep abdominal breathing slows the heartbeat and stabilizes blood pressure, according to a Harvard Health Publications stress management article. We rarely relax with deep breathing because we’re used to sucking in our tummies.

Deep breathing in a calm environment is best. If there are no peaceful locations, use your desk. Slowly inhale through your nose, filling your lungs. Expand your stomach. Exhale slowly. That should improve your strategic thinking.

2. Forgive yourself for mistakes at work

You may feel humiliated, frightened, or frustrated after a workplace error. You were rushing to finish a job when you learned the report you submitted earlier contained an error, throwing off your analysis. You are worried your mistake will permanently affect your performance.

Take a moment to acknowledge what happened, then move on to mend. Get over the disappointment of being imperfect.

3. Confess and take responsibility

This is not the time for excuses. Take responsibility, apologize, and pledge to improve. Avoid blaming others or circumstances for your mistake.

Remember, self-criticism is different from self-awareness. Be accountable but confident. Finally, if your manager or peers have good advise, listen and consider their solutions.

4. Do what you can to set things right

Create and share your strategy to fix things, such as volunteering to work overtime. If you generated a ripple effect you can’t stop, let your supervisor or coworkers know you’ll still help, even if it means taking on their projects. Restore accountability and confidence.

Check for new tasks as the dust settles.

5. Take stock of what you’ve learned

This is where you can find the silver lining. This experience could reveal hiccups in your process or help you to be more careful in the future. Ask yourself, “What will I try to do differently? What still works?”

Ask peers for feedback on how you could have avoided this blunder. Check in with your boss on the aspect of your work where the error occurred. You may have thought you understood the process, only to discover you do not. Think of yourself as someone who embraces lifelong learning.

6. Get back to work or move on

Dwell not. Your career had many accomplishments before this mistake. Apply your new knowledge to your daily work. One mistake—even a major one—won’t ruin your career. Regain self-confidence and team faith by focusing on self-improvement. Your response to failure shows professionalism and resilience.

Compose your comeback story and start anew.