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5 Tips to Move Past a Mistake at Work

5 Tips to Move Past a Mistake at Work

No one is perfect, and even the best workers make mistakes. If you make a mistake at work, it can be tough to move past it. But, with the right approach, you can learn from your error and prevent it from happening again. Following a work mistake, try not to stress about it.

Instead, use these five tips to move past your mistake as quickly as possible.

1. Be Accountable

Admit your mistake as soon as it happens. Notify your boss and anyone else affected by your error. From here, you and other stakeholders can work together to correct your mistake.

Being accountable can go a long way at work. If you accept responsibility for your mistake, your peers can help you recover from it.

2. Make a Plan to Fix Your Mistake

Present a solution to your mistake to anyone affected by it. Your solution should explain how you intend to resolve your error now and prevent it from becoming a recurring problem.

It helps to take as much time as you can to develop a viable solution for your mistake. If you need help, communicate and collaborate with your colleagues. Then, you and your peers can determine the best course of action to mitigate your mistake.

3. Don’t Play the Blame Game

Resist the urge to blame others for your mistake. Doing so can foster ill will with work colleagues. And it can ultimately hamper your ability to grow your career within your company.

Rather than play the blame game, use your mistake as an opportunity to learn and grow. In doing so, you can move past your mistake quickly. Furthermore, you can show your peers you want to do everything in your power to be your best at work.

4. Apologize for Your Mistake

Tell anyone affected by your mistake that you are sorry for it. Your apology can be brief. However, it should always be sincere.

Use your apology to explain what you’ve learned from your mistake and how you intend to prevent it from recurring. This ensures anyone affected by your mistake knows you’re doing what’s necessary to avoid similar mistakes moving forward.

5. Spend an Appropriate Amount of Time Fixing Your Mistake

If necessary, you can spend extra time at work fixing your mistake. This shows your colleagues you want to correct your error right away.

Conversely, if you work extra hours to fix your mistake, don’t brag about it. Focus exclusively on correcting your error and move on from it.

Learn from Your Mistakes at Work

A work mistake can damage your career. Or, you can learn from a mistake at work and use it to take the next step forward toward achieving your career goals. If you strive to learn from your errors, you can accelerate your career growth.

Lastly, if you’re on the lookout for new career opportunities, partner with Techneeds. We can help you pursue jobs in a variety of industries. Check out our job board today!