The moment my boss asked to speak with me, my heart sank. She led me into an empty room, and the silence felt heavy—like the calm before a storm. I knew something was wrong.
“I thought I was clear,” she said. “The pages had to get to the printer by Friday afternoon.”
It was true, she had told me that a few weeks back when I got my big promotion to managing editor of Dance Spirit magazine. After just one year with the company, they had trusted me to be second-in-command of the publication that most young dancers couldn’t wait to get their hands on each month.
Once the pages were written and designed, they had to be sent to the printer so they could be sent out to those anxious girls and boys.
A wave of heat rushed through me, and my stomach twisted in knots. Panic bubbled up as I replayed every decision that led me here—how could I have let this happen?
“But Jo said we were waiting on a few photos and that it was fine to wait until Monday,” I remarked.
Turns out, I was given some bad advice. When I failed to get those last few pages off on Friday, I wasn’t even sure exactly what the hold up was. I just knew people who had been working there longer told me it was fine, that it happened all the time.
In that moment, I realized I had made a critical mistake—I had trusted others' advice over my own responsibility. The weight of leadership was on my shoulders, and I knew I had to own up to it.
“I’ll never let it happen again,” I said, and that was that.
How to Own Up to Your Mistakes
We all make mistakes. All the time, every day. We are human, and that is OK. Any boss or client or customer understands this. But what makes the difference is how we handle it when we make those mistakes.
While I never missed a deadline again, that wasn’t the last mistake I made. But each time, I learned that how I responded was just as important—if not more—than the mistake itself.
When a client video was published with the full names of people interviewed (only first names were meant to be used), I was ready: “We are so sorry, Lynne. The change came after the video was scheduled. But we already pulled it back and are adjusting names now.” She was satisfied and never mentioned it again.
When we sent the wrong email to a client’s database, we picked up the phone immediately. “Helen, our apologies. There was a slight mistake, but here is our plan for getting things ironed out immediately.” She may not have been thrilled, but she appreciated us owning up and taking the right steps to correct the issue.
The Fail Proof System for Embracing Your Mistakes
I now have a two-step process when anything goes wrong:
Step 1:
Genuinely Apologize. When you apologize, be specific about what went wrong and express sincere regret. Avoid excuses, but if there’s a valid reason, share it to provide context. For example, when we published the video with full names, I made sure to acknowledge the mistake right away, without deflecting blame.
Step 2:
Offer a Solution. If the mistake is fixable, act quickly to correct it. In cases where it’s not easily fixed, like missing a deadline, offer a plan for how you’ll prevent it in the future. For instance, after that missed deadline, I immediately implemented a stricter timeline with built-in check-ins to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.
With these two steps, I have been able to save relationships, and, sometimes, even grow them. People know and understand that mistakes will happen. But they respect when someone owns up to the mistake and proactively ensures it won’t happen again.
Owning your mistakes may be daunting, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to build trust and credibility. Next time you slip up, face it head-on with a sincere apology and a proactive solution. You’ll not only salvage relationships—you might even strengthen them.
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