Admitting Your Own Errors
Guidelines
Report and correct the error immediately. Delay usually compounds the problem.
Evaluate the seriousness of your mistake; explain and apologize accordingly. Don’t be dramatic. Remember all errors are not created equal. Overblown apologies and explanations sound insincere.
Don’t promise the error will never occur again. Rather, state what actions you have taken to correct the problem this time and to make its recurrence less likely.
Explain how the error happened and then focus on the correction. When the situation has political undertones to your disadvantage, play down the error with a matter-of-fact tone. After all, everybody makes mistakes. On the other hand, a poor-me approach can work sometimes—that is, exaggerate the seriousness of the error and be profuse in your apology so your reader must console you that things “aren’t that bad.” However, “bleed” only when you know the politics involved and the likely reaction of your reader to your play for sympathy.
Take responsibility for errors that come from your office; don’t pass the buck to others even though they may have made the error. After all, you are the supervisor.
Email This Page!