When You Make a Mistake, Own It Fully
When you're the boss, fixing the problem isn't enough. You have to own it.
I was a bit frustrated when he came to my office to complain about unfair treatment.
Frustrated with him, because he didn’t come to me right away.
Frustrated with myself, because he was right.
I apologised by buying two tickets to the soccer for him and his dad. I didn’t have to do that, but I did. It was my fault, after all.
And it was an easy mistake to make. Timetabling people is a tricky job, and while I probably should have delegated it, I’ve always had a weird knack for scheduling, so I did it myself. I ended up assigning him too many hours, and didn’t notice. I’ve never made that kind of mistake before. I usually have checks and balances that catch these things, but even good systems miss things now and then.
He figured it out when he started working the new timetable. But instead of coming to me directly, he checked in with his colleagues first. Were they doing the same extra hours? No, they weren’t. So why just him?
By the time it got to me, he was hurt and angry, and I didn’t immediately understand what he meant. I wasn’t trying to play dumb, I really didn’t get it at first. And then I did.
It was my error.
So I asked him to hang in there while I fixed it. It took a few weeks, but I made sure he was compensated for the extra work. And I made the gesture. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. A thank-you. And an apology.
Because saying "I’m sorry" is good. But showing it is better.