So You Made A Mistake At Work, Now Here's What You Do And Say

No matter how much you would want it to be true, none of us can have a perfect track record when it comes to our careers.

Mistakes are inevitable at work. It could be blowing a deadline, faulty calculations on a work presentation, losing a client or sending an email full of errors on your boss's behalf.

The good news is that we have all been there. And it's okay to make mistakes because there is absolutely no other way to learn, you know. (Having said that, please don't make mistakes in the name of learning).

But what's important to know is that if you have made a mistake at work, it doesn't mean the end of the world. You are fully capable of bouncing back by following the below steps. These steps won't only rectify your mistake but will also make you look like a complete superstar in front of your boss and colleagues, so read away.

1. Once you know you made mistake, take 10 minutes to be upset about it.

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In order to correct any mistake with all honesty, give yourself 10 minutes to be upset about it. Vent in front a friend, talk to your mom but feel bad and let it out of your system. Because after these 10 minutes, it's show time.

2. Don't think of excuses; always stick with the truth.

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Please don't be stupid and don't blame your computer, your phone, or the IT guy who never got around to fixing your laptop. Instead, keep it simple. ¡°I apologise, I should have been more on top of this and right now, I¡¯m 100% committed to fixing it," could do wonders, when you loop in your boss.

3. Before going up to your boss, please think of some solutions.

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Once I made a mistake at my previous office and my boss said that it's okay but how do I plan to resolve it? I had no answer. Please don't land up in that spot. This carelessness is probably looked down upon more than making a genuine mistake. So before you get the higher authority involved, have smart solutions ready as suggestions.

4. Walk up to your boss and own up.

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We all make mistakes. Your boss might be expecting perfection but they know you are at the job where you'll learn, grow and make blunders. It's part of the process. So when you go upto your manager and own up to your mistake, make sure you have the right attitude to smooth things over. And please remember whatever is the recommended way of fixing your mistake, do it without complaining.

5. Don't make a mistake while correcting your current mistake.

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I know you won't but this warning should be lingering in your head. Please come up with a brilliant solution and fulfill it from beginning to end.

6. Be on your best behaviour for the next couple of days.

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Come to office early, not on time. Can't wake up early? Be the last one to leave. Volunteer to take up an upcoming project. Annoying? Yes but you have to do something to make up for the mistake at work and also your boss will be watching you more intensely and that's human nature. So remember that appearances count, and face time is essential to remind your boss you're still a really valuable employee.

7. Don't you dare label yourself as a failure.

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Instead of creating a pity party and calling yourself a failure, take the weekend to reflect and introspect. Identify the lesson learned and come up with strategies to prevent making these same mistakes. Oh and take some time to focus on your wins too in order to continue producing work you are proud of.