Dear Dorothy,
I made a big mistake at work recently, and now I can’t stop feeling anxious about it. I’ve been working hard to build my reputation, but I messed up on an important project. I’m worried this will ruin how my boss and colleagues see me, and I can’t shake off this feeling of failure. How can I fix this situation and move past the anxiety?
Yours,
Linda
Dear Linda,
First of all, take a deep breath. Mistakes happen to everyone – yes, everyone – even the most competent professionals you look up to. Learning from these stumbles is one of the ways people become even better at their jobs.
Here’s what you can do:
- Own it: Transparency is key. If you haven’t already, acknowledge your mistake with your boss or the team. Admitting an error shows maturity and integrity. It’s not about dwelling on what went wrong, but about being part of the solution.
- Fix it (if possible): Offer solutions on how you can resolve the issue or prevent it from happening again. This will demonstrate that you’re proactive and committed to improvement.
- Learn from it: Every mistake comes with a lesson. Identify what led to the error and take steps to avoid it in the future. Did you miss a detail? Maybe next time, you’ll double-check. Were you overloaded? Consider having a conversation about your workload. Reflect and grow.
- Give yourself grace: We tend to be our own harshest critics. While it’s important to acknowledge your mistake, don’t let it define you. Shift your focus to all the things you’ve done right. Building a strong professional reputation isn’t undone by one mistake, especially if you handle it well.
- Move forward: Don’t let this moment consume your mental energy for too long. After you’ve addressed the mistake and worked on a solution, shift gears back to the tasks at hand. Moving forward with confidence is the best way to rebuild and reaffirm your strengths.
Remember, your value at work isn’t just in being mistake-free – it’s in how you handle situations when they don’t go according to plan. Resilience and the ability to recover are crucial skills that will help you stand out for all the right reasons.
Warmly,
Dorothy