How to avoid repeating the same mistakes at work – Photo credit: politic365.com
I’m a learner by nature, which really means I specialize in trial-and-error (sometimes more errors than trials). Now, if I were a meteorologist (no offense, but this is the only science where the difference between 30% and 50% rain won’t get you fired) or were in any way paid to make mistakes, that might work. As it turns out, I’m not, and neither are most of us.
Yet, messing up constantly at work definitely has its consequences Psychologically, our unconscious is constantly at odds with conflicting desires within us, pushing us to repeat the same mistakes we are intent on avoiding in the first place. Hence the procrastination and self-disappointment that ensue…
However, there are ways to not only avoid repeating the same mistakes, but to actually get ahead of your self-destructive tendencies and actually better your performance before even completing that task or project:
1. Have a Feedback System! We’ve already talked about how important feedback is. Yet what is even more important is to have a system to leverage the feedback you receive. I have a habit of saving all the feedback comments I get into an Excel spreadsheet organized by task type. This would help you have your feedback centralized in one place, and refer to all the items you’ve missed in the past to better your current performance. And it works!
2. Build Checklists! I can’t talk enough about checklists! If your career were your wardrobe, checklists would be those solid, sturdy, reliable granny panties no one wants to wear, but everyone feels comfortable in. But I digress…Any task type or project, from writing a basic email to building financial projections, has some kind of protocol to abide by. And as mere mortals, remembering how to do everything well is a tall order. Build checklists, at least for the most important tasks or projects, leverage your know-how and feedback into it! Now all you have to do is make sure all the boxes are checked, and voila!
3. Be Proactive and Ask for what NOT to do! A great manager taught me negative assurance can sometimes be just as good, if not better than positive assurance. Before starting a project or task, even as you’re still in the planning phase, ask your manager for what NOT to do. What are things to avoid? How should this memo NOT be drafted as? Ask and you shall receive…
Now my aunt Mimi may tell you when it comes to husbands, third time is the charm. Yet when it comes to our careers, we may want to limit the charm of repeated mistakes before we end up officially divorcing our chances of success at work…
The Corporate Sis.
