Recovering from Mistakes Gracefully

As humans, we are prone to making mistakes, and that can be very frustrating for ourselves and those around us. There are a number of reasons why a mistake can happen, but we can always learn from the situation and use it to our advantage. This shift in thinking about mistakes as learning opportunities creates a more positive culture that is conducive to growth. Some of us tend to be harder on ourselves for our mistakes than we are on others, while some of us tend to judge other people for their mistakes more harshly than we would judge ourselves. It can be difficult to let go of that judgement, especially in business, but it is important for the success of the team.

Sometimes it’s easier to look at mistakes outside of ourselves first and then apply what we know to our own experiences. For example, there is not a single NFL player in history that has not made some kind of mistake throughout their career, and that would not be a realistic expectation for us to have. The team itself can have a “perfect season,” but that is not without individual players making mistakes throughout their games. Players are making split-second decisions, there is a lot of pressure on them, other players on the field can be unpredictable, and accidents happen. When there are humans involved, there are bound to be some errors. Why is it, then, that we know that our favorite NFL players will make mistakes and we can forgive them for it, even if we might be upset at first, but we have unreasonably high expectations of our employees and sometimes even ourselves?

In business, we also experience high pressure, quick decisions, and unpredictable people. Even when we prepare, mistakes can happen, but it is how we recover from them that defines the experience more so than the actual mistake itself. To recover from a mistake gracefully, you must first acknowledge what went wrong and take responsibility for your part in getting to that point. While there are many reasons why something could have happened, do not make excuses, and instead, reflect on the mistake and plan for how you will overcome it in the present and avoid it in the future. View the mistake as a learning opportunity, and try not to be too hard on yourself. Shutting down will not help the situation, but moving forward will. If there is something that you can do to correct the mistake, take the necessary action to do so.

If you are not the person who has made the mistake, but it still affects you, try to be understanding of the situation. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment, and remember that you are not without mistakes in your life either. While you can help them learn from the situation, it does not help anyone to put them down for the mistake. The person who made the mistake is likely already upset with themselves, and you do not need to add to that mental burden. Have an open conversation about what happened, ensure they understand what went wrong and why it matters, and help them create a plan for the future so that they can avoid the same mistakes again. Make sure the conversation stays calm and respectful. Both of you will come out of the situation better because of it.

Mistakes are inevitable, and your response can either make the situation better or worse. Either way, you get to choose how to move forward as the person who made the mistake and as the person observing someone else who has made a mistake. Move forward gracefully, and extend that grace to those around you.

-Meghan Slaughter