Work Slip-Ups

We’ve all wished the ground would open up and swallow us after a cringe-making mistake. But that’s small comfort when you’re left feeling like the world’s most useless, most red-faced, soon-to-be-ex employee. However, all is not lost. In fact, success coach and co-author of Your Life Only A Gazillion Times Better (Health Communications), Judy May Murphy believes that, handled properly, slip-ups can actually be a good thing. ‘When you were a child you made lots of mistakes as you tried to find the right way to do things. But every time you messed up, you learnt something important.’

The key to determining what happens next is how you respond, says Manj Weerasekera, success coach and producer of Create The Life Of Your Dreams audio CD. ‘How you apologise and what you’re apologising for determines the outcome, your credibility and work relationships.’

Of course, different mistakes call for different responses. To make sure you don’t dig an even deeper hole for yourself, we’ve identified seven of the most common office screw-ups and come up with career-saving ways to survive them.

Slip-Up #1: E-mailing the person you’re actually ranting about	‘Small slips of the tongue will seem much worse if followed by a convoluted apology,’ says Murphy. ‘A simple, “I’m sorry; I’ve been with my brother all weekend and he swears like a sailor!” will often do.’ More serious outbursts call for a note of apology to your boss, saying you were out of line and it won’t happen again. If you swear in a client meeting, Weerasekera advises, ‘Say something like, “I apologise for using language like that but at least you now know how passionate I am about this product”.’ Listening to the sound of your voice and holding yourself in a straight but relaxed manner switches your brain out of ‘super-casual’ mode, says Murphy. As a result, swear words are less likely to pop out.
Slip-Up #2: An oversight embarrasses your boss or costs your company money
Slip-Up #3: You have a major falling-out with a client
Slip-Up #4: Your boss finds out you’ve applied for another job
Slip-Up #5: Arriving for a meeting with your skirt tucked into your underwear
Slip-Up #6: Letting an ill-advised comment slip out
Slip-Up #7: Your secret office relationship is discovered

Author: Helen McNutt