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How Accountants Can Recover From a Mistake at Work

 
 

We all make mistakes. It is inevitable. They are a part of life. And, we may make a mistake at work. It could be something minor, or, unfortunately, something not so minor.

Since mistakes are made, it becomes important to know how to recover after you have made one, to do what you can to correct the situation. Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Acknowledge your error

The worst thing you can do is try to hide it, or shift the blame. If you are responsible, you need to own up to it, and then begin the work of making things right again. Trying to run away from your mistake will only make things worse. The mistake will go untouched, and may cause further repercussions if not fixed as soon as possible.

Moreover, trying to hide a mistake really shows a lack of character and professionalism. It may hurt your reputation among your coworkers and lower the opinion your supervisor has of you. If you need help to fix it, get the assistance you need.

2. Take Action

If you have made a mistake, your primary concern should be the following – set about as quickly as possible to correct it or mitigate it. Do not wait to be told what to do. Be proactive. Come up with a plan to correct it and take action. Do what you can to fix it. When you discuss the problem with your supervisor, make sure you have an action plan for how to solve the problem.

This probably won’t shield you from criticism by your supervisor, but your superior will probably take notice of your quick action and learning from your error.

3. Don’t beat yourself up

Mistakes happen to everyone. Don’t let it get to you. It really doesn’t help the situation if you are hypercritical of yourself. The important thing is to learn from the experience so that you don’t make the same mistake again. Use it as a lesson and grow from the experience.

4. Go the extra mile

Your reputation may be a little tarnished from the experience, so you will have to work to restore it. Go above and beyond what you have to do. Volunteer for projects. Make sure your work is the highest quality, and after a while, your supervisor will forget the whole thing even happened.


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