| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
So, Your Made A Mistake
Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put those you make in perspective. One, everyone who plays the game makes mistakes. Two, that you make mistakes is not nearly as important as what you do about them. That's hard to remember when you are wallowing in the bed of regret, second-guessing and even being eaten alive by fear that usually follows on the heels of a mistake. Nevertheless, it is true. "The way you follow up on the errors you make has a greater impact on the future of your career than what you did or didn't do wrong," according to Ramon Greenwood, head of CommonSenseAtWork.com. It is worthwhile to restate the axiom that everyone who is out there making an effort to get things done makes mistakes. Carly Fiorini refused to delegate authority and tone down her style while she traipsed around the world like a jet-set celebrity. She made the mistake of defying her board of directors at Hewlett-Packard when they asked her to change her ways and she got booted out as CEO. Kodak lost its market dominance when it failed to anticipate the success of Polaroid. On the other hand, Coca-Cola made a major miscalculation when it decided the world needed a new flavor of its favorite beverage. When the market said, "You made a mistake" the company quickly turned its back on "New Coke." Ford Motor Company pulled off a "Lulu" by producing a dud, the Edsel automobile. It lost no time in dumping the mistake when buyers turned thumbs down. So, mistakes are bound to occur, even among the best of us. TURN MISTAKES INTO LEARNNG EXPERIENCES "Smart careerists learn early in the race to capitalize on mistakes by turning them into learning experiences," says Greenwood. When he was chairman of Quaker Oats Company, William Smithburg declared, "There isn't one senior manager in this company who hasn't been associated with a product that failed, or some project that failed. That includes me. It's like learning to ski. If you're not falling down, you're not learning." The next time you make a mistake, keep in mind the following nine steps that achievers take when they goof up. 1. Don't panic. Follow the admonition of the television commercial, "Never Let Them See You Sweat." 2. Stop long enough to clear your head. Then act pronto. 3. Get the facts so you can define the mistake. 4. Answer these questions. What is the worst thing that can happen? The best outcome? Will the mistake really make any difference one week, one year, five years later? 5. Report the mistake to the boss immediately. It is far better for you to tell him about your mistake than to have it come from others. Help the boss keep it in perspective. A Confucian proverb advises, "Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes." Let the boss and your colleagues know you regret the error. Nothing is likely to infuriate your supervisor and colleagues more than your appearing not to care when you make a mistake. 6. Accept the responsibility for your mistakes. 7. Feel the pain and mourn a little, but for only a little while. You will feel better later. 8. Perform a post-mortem. Look at the facts. How can a repeat performance be avoided? What did you learn from the experience? 9. Forget the mistake; give it a decent burial, but remember the lessons learned. Remember, the only truly unforgivable mistake is to repeat a mistake. Former Senior VP of American Express; professional director, American Express International, financial institutions and consumer goods companies; Senior Careet Counselor, CommonSenseAtWork.com., and consultant to a wide variety of businesses; author of four books including How To Make The World of Work Work For You and a syndicated column, Common Sense At Work.
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Interview - A Few Tips for Making a Great First Impression Searching for employment is one of the most nerve-racking activities to engage in. As if the direct need for income is not stressful enough, the process of writing a résumé, networking in your industry, and applying for jobs can leave anyone shaking in their tracks. Rewriting Your Resume? 7 Easy Ways To Give Yourself An Upgrade In today's competitive job market, a first class resume is an essential tool for winning an interview. The way in which you present your skills, achievements and experience on paper will profoundly affect the way in which a hiring company considers your application. So, Why Dont You Tell Me About Yourself? "So, why don't you tell me about yourself?" is the most frequently asked interview question. It's a question that most interviewees expect and the one they have the most difficulty answering. How to Make Your Career Change Easier Despite what your grandmother told you, life is not supposed to be a struggle. The same is true for making a career change. 10 Major Signs of Job Dissatisfaction The New Year is a great time to analyze your job and the satisfaction you get from doing it. Running the rat race is just that, scurrying around only to find that at the end of the day or week you are still not happy about who you are and what you do. Skilled Mechanic Wage Study Review Well what is a good mechanic worth these days? You cannot place a value on them simply as labor units as they teach in management school, they are worth more than money. So why not treat them with respect and dignity and pay them what they are worth, we believe that the national averages are too low. How to Pick the Best Career For You , Part 2: From Exposure-to-Opportunity Gain an audience by recognizing opportunity There's a sexier method to salsa into a great career with less tripping and more flair. Look for problems to solve and create a personalized solution. Rev-Up Your Network! Whether you are looking for a job, new clients or feel the need to expand your list of professional contacts, networking is the answer.So what are you saying to yourself right now? "Yuck, I hate networking. Serious Business Networking As they always say "It's not what you know, it's who you know."Of course just knowing people doesn't necessarily get you the job, or the promotion, or the contract you wanted, but it certainly can help; so long as people don't think you are using them. Should I leave My Job? Most of us have to work for a living. Since we spend so many hours each week at our jobs, it's very important that there is a good fit. Last Year Physician Resident Checklist Here is a last year resident checklist not to forget:LICENSING:Licensing is becoming increasingly complex as identity and medical fraud become more common. Therefore don't wait till the last minute to start the process. How To Write A Resume Cover Letter That Will Get Your Resume Read A Resume Cover Letter has only one purpose - to stimulate the recipient of your resume to review your resume. This free resume cover letter tutorial assumes that you will be sending your resume and resume cover letter by email. Do I Have to Provide a Salary History? Often you see job postings with a request such as "Send resume with salary history to?" I don't know about you but the first thing that pops into my mind is what do they expect to pay? The next question I ponder is whether or not it's legal to request this information. Who will see my salary history when my resume and accompanying documents are received? Will it be the hiring manager, someone in the human resources department, or will it be a notoriously nosy employee whose job it is to open the mail? Will that individual broadcast my confidential information to other employees?Some employers use this tactic to save themselves time and weed out applicants that expect more than they are willing to pay or, based on their view of your past compensation, don't appear to have the skills or experience necessary. How People Really Explore New Careers: What Does A Real Career Search Look Like? The traditional model of career choice suggests a linear pattern. Get to know yourself. 9 Secrets to Career Success Are you miserable at your job (or what you are doing) but go anyway to earn a living? Do you feel you are unable to use your talents and are doing things that are stressful? Do you find yourself in a career rut? Wouldn't you rather be in your ideal income position and "Go to Play" everyday? Most people spend approximately 35% to over 67% of their waking hours working. Being unhappy for so much of the day makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of your waking hours. Make Your Résumé Sizzle with Success Stories In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé that fizzles. Power up your résumé with solid success stories. If Youre Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret? Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true. How To REALLY Look For A Job Are you looking for a job -- really looking? Or are you simply waiting for employment to fall into your lap?If you're like about 75% of the job seekers I've met over the past nine years, you're probably doing too much waiting and not enough searching.Stop. Avoiding Tire Kickers as Job Seekers With the economy heating up and employment prospects opening up after years of dormancy, it is more critical than ever for employers to understand that unfortunately, career "tire kickers" still exist in the marketplace. Demand for quality talent, especially at the senior executive level, still outweighs supply. Resume Software - The Hidden Pitfalls Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormat A large majority of software requires the use of their format; most commonly using the chronological resume style. While the chronological style is certainly the most traditional manner to write a resume, it is not always advantageous for everyone.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
