Mistakes - How to Deal With Them

Mistakes Proneness. Probably the very trait that all human truly share.

Mistakes are committed by us and around us all the time. However for as "good" as we are in committing them, we are too often incredibly bad at dealing with them.

This reflection was initiated in my mind by a current event:

• Two days ago I went to a well known restaurant. The quality of the food was as outstanding as I remembered, yet, something went wrong : I was left waiting for my food for over 70 minutes. No information was provided from the staff about what was going on nor any apology . I was left there in this awkward empty space. When I left the restaurant, the owner whom I have known for years, said nothing about what happened and I, feeling a little too "agitate" inside, decided to keep my comments for a later sharing opportunity, maybe via email.

The take away from the experience ? I was not really hurt by the delay in the service - I was in fact in very good company - I was most hurt by the lack of communication which left me wander about what was going on . A lack of communication that was not filled neither while I was sitting at the table nor when I left, and which allowed me to grow inside a lot of resentment and dissatisfaction with the experience.

I am convinced that a simple and honest communication regarding what was going on, be it by the waiter first or the manager later, would have made my experience much better. 

Own up to your mistakes.

Taking responsibility for a mistake will, depending on the occasion, gain you the love and respect of a client, a colleague or a family member. Isn't this the benchmark of "real" success after all ? So:

1. Explain clearly yet cordially what happened ;
2. Listen and answer politely to any question (without getting too defensive) ;
3. Let the other side vent (it will happen - after all you made a mistake) ;
4. Enjoy the benefits of your honest communication !

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In this period of my life, I am finding every day very tight bonds between the strategies that can lead us to "success" in our professional life and those that can aid us within our private sphere. This is one more example.

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