If the tattler was a peer, there is leeway to correct the problem. The report could be considered legally protected “whistleblowing” and even a mild mannered comment that the employee should have come to you first could be recharacterized as intimidation or retaliation. Do not confront a subordinate about going over your head to report your error. If you know the tattler was a subordinate, let it go. If you gossiped to others about your own mistakes, it could be anyone and getting tattled on should cure you of doing that again. If you cannot figure out who it was who tattled on you, don’t ask. Determine Whether to Confront the Tattler Do not replay the “tape” of your mistake to yourself or anyone else. After you have explained, your focus must shift to corrective activity: fix the mistake with input from your supervisor or others, or take training or education to prevent its recurrence. Concisely describe the situation and your reasoning. Articulate your willingness to correct the problem and apologize - once and sincerely - for the mistake. Owning your mistake requires that you listen to your supervisor, and to think before you speak or try to defend yourself. ![]() That doesn’t mean you should adopt the description of the mistake or the possible repercussions reported by the tattler. If your supervisor confronts you about the mistake, your first object is to identify it and own the mistake you made. Don't Always Adopt the Tattler's Version of Events There are still things you can do to stop the damage. If you’ve self-reported the mistake to your supervisor, the tattler’s report is old news. After all, why tattle about an unimportant mistake? The latter is usually accompanied by a heaping helping of hyperbole. Either they think it increases the perception of their importance or they simply love to be the bearer of bad news. I also suggest you resist the temptation to publish this type of mistake to anyone other than your supervisor because s ome people just love to tattle.Failing to report an unfixable mistake because you think it’s no big deal could be a career killer in that it becomes a “mistake plus” – a mistake plus bad judgment or, worse, a mistake plus concealment.Second, you might not have “the big picture.” It is possible that you simply do not know who the mistake could impact. There could be a great solution that you cannot envision because panic clouds your thinking. The threat to self can cause panic which, in turn, closes down the ability to think creatively. First, we feel threatened by our own mistakes.If the mistake appears unfixable, report it to your supervisor in person as soon as possible.If the mistake is fixable but does impact others, such as team members, fix the problem but report it, along with the steps taken to resolve the situation to your team and your supervisor in a note.If the mistake does not impact others (it doesn’t affect their decision-making or cause them to produce faulty or delayed work) and is entirely fixable, fix it and forget about it.When I make a mistake (and after 40 years at work, I've made my fair share) I lay out a plan of action that covers all the contingencies: Own Your Mistake and Eliminate the Tattler’s Power ![]() Mistakes either impact others or they don’t. There are only two kinds of mistakes – fixable and those you cannot fix (either because they are truly unfixable or because you cannot do it alone). ![]() There are, however, things that you can do to eliminate the tattler's power over you when you make a mistake without compounding its impact upon your work, reputation and career. They believe that being the first to report someone else's mistake will elevate their importance.Įverybody makes mistakes. These actions usually arise in a workplace setting as:Ī tattler is someone who loves to be first with bad news. To reveal secrets or information entrusted as confidential or personal.To hurt someone who trusts you by doing something morally wrong.To deliver a person to an adversary through abuse of trust.The Oxford Dictionary defines “betray” to mean: This is the first in a four-part series on Dealing with Workplace Betrayal. What I’m talking about is when a workplace friend or mentor engages in conduct that advances their career at your expense. Those events are par for the course for any ambitious, risk-taking, goal-oriented employee. I’m not talking about getting fired or not getting a promotion. If you have spent enough time in the workplace, you have probably suffered the surprise of betrayal.
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