Making mistakes is part of working life – here’s how these six successful women turned them around…
1 Be the problem solver
“I used to identify what was wrong and bring it to the attention of my managers, but I’d forget to come up with a way to address it. Managers are interested in solutions, not problems, and they will value and remember you if you’re the one who comes up with a better approach and don’t expose the mistakes of others.”
– Chloe Macintosh, co-founder of made.com and creative adviser at Soho House & Co
Related: 10 Steps great leaders take when things go wrong
2 Do not press send
“Email has revolutionised the workplace, but the reality is that emails are all too easy to hide behind. I realised that when I chose face-to-face or picked up the phone, I often had a better conversation, built useful relationships and usually found I got something more helpful out of it.”
– Gaby Bell, chief strategy officer at M&C Saatchi
Related: How to handle confrontation (without losing your cool)
3 Repeat after us: “No”
“I’d always say yes to tasks, regardless of how many other deadlines I had, and I’d get overwhelmed. As I became more confident in my abilities, I gained the courage to admit when I couldn’t do it all on my own. Instead of looking a failure, I got much-needed support.”
– Catherine Thomas, managing director at Vardags law firm
Related: 6 Ways to work smarter (not harder!)
4 Check and check again
“I was working for a theatrical agency when I gave a well-known client’s home address to someone who said they were calling from a famous department store. It turned out to be a bogus call from a fan, who then camped outside their house. It taught me that you should never assume anything – there can never be too much attention to the detail.”
– Amanda Berry, chief executive of Bafta
Related: 7 Tips for managing stress
5 Speak up
“I didn’t speak up enough, as I didn’t think my ideas were good enough. I’ve learnt that sharing your ideas is key to showing what you can deliver.”
– Kerry Bannigan, CEO of Nolcha, an events and marketing agency
Related: How to be confident at work
6 Remember your worth
“In my first job, I felt a debt of gratitude to the woman who hired me and she exploited that, giving me an unrealistic workload and even using me for free babysitting. If someone hires you, it’s because you add to their profitability or effectiveness. You deserve to be there, so set boundaries.”
– Afua Hirsch, Sky News’ social affairs and education editor
Taken from GLAMOUR UK. Click here to read the original.
Looking for more great job advice? Here are 7 tricks to keep in your career survival kit. How do you know when it’s time to move on? Find out here.
