Over the years I’ve made mistakes that effected clients! Why would I share this with you? Because I want you to realize that mistakes are going to happen and they won’t kill you. Learn the following 8 basic rules to handle mistakes and you’ll be prepared the next time you make a mistake.
Rule #1 – Face the fact… YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES. You’re probably going to make lots of them! The thing about mistakes that you need to always remember is this: mistakes are not going to end your dream. Mistakes are part of your learning process. Mistakes are the building blocks of your future success. Since everyone will make mistakes, the skill that will set you apart from all of the “other” imperfect people is how you handle your mistakes.
Rule #2 – ALWAYS take responsibility for your mistakes and admit when you’re wrong. You never want to “throw someone else under the bus” because of your mistake.
Rule #3 – ALWAYS apologize for your mistakes. A sincere apology followed by rule #4 help to diffuse any animosity the client may have toward you.
Rule #4 – ALWAYS find a way to correct your mistake. After you apologize for your mistake, let your client know how you’re going to correct the mistake. Most of the time, your clients’ just want to know that you’re going to make it right.
Rule #5 – ALWAYS take a second to learn the lesson in your mistake. Each mistake is an opportunity to learn something new. Perhaps you’ll learn to create a system to avoid this particular mistake – you never know what the lesson might be.
Rule #6 – NEVER let your mistakes defeat you. Don’t go hide in the corner and call yourself names. Mistakes happen; they are part of everyday life. Pick yourself up and keep moving forward.
Rule #7 – NEVER dwell on your mistakes. Spending days thinking about the mistake you made doesn’t solve anything. In fact, you’ll be paying less attention to the details in front of you and will be more likely to make another mistake!
Rule #8 – NEVER believe that you’re not capable of making mistakes. If you every feel your perfect and mistakes don’t happen to you – prepare for a big one! No one is beyond or above making mistakes.
As we do business, we’ll continue to make mistakes. Sometimes our mistakes may be pretty big! When this happens we must be bigger than our mistakes. Personally, I’m always 100% forgiving when someone is willing to admit their mistake and then gives me a reasonable way to fix it. None of us should ever hold someone’s honesty against them!
So, know this – mistakes happen. You will make them. You will be on the giving and the receiving end of them. They won’t crush your dreams and they won’t stop you – UNLESS you don’t learn these valuable rules about how to deal with them!
Don’t live your life with “mistake free” expectations; none of us have that ability!
Sondra
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