Want to know the best way to handle a mistake, error, or problem?
Tell people immediately and take accountability.
That’s it. No matter what the problem is, big or small, this is what I observe works. Time is of the essence: the longer you wait, the worse the problem usually gets. You run out of options…or worse, it looks like you were hiding the problem.
When mistakes happen, we tend to want to blame someone. Blame is often a waste of time. Focus instead on the process and what the source/cause of the problem, because the goal is to fix and remediate so that you manage the risk. The clock is ticking.
Mistakes People Make About Mistakes
1. You try to get perfect information before informing anyone. You need to know enough to explain the situation, but don’t chase unnecessary details at the expense of time. The hospital doesn’t need to run 100 tests on you to know that they have to stop the bleeding.
2. You blame others
- Nope, all you’re showing is that you’re not a leader or a team player.
3. You use voicemail or email to notify folks.
- If it’s really important, you need voice on voice action. Live. Interrupt your manager. Escalate. Would you rely on email or voicemail if a family member was in an accident?
- When you do send the debrief emails, you need to include everyone. Otherwise, those who are involved feel excluded….you need everyone’s help to solve the problem. Things to include: problem explanation, impact analysis, what you don’t know yet, what you know for sure. And continue to update.
4. You don’t fix the problem fast.
- Yes, ideally automation is a better way to fix problems. In the meantime, put the manual processes in place so you know you’ve stopped the bleeding. Figure out what’s needed to remediate what went wrong. What was the impact? Keep communicating to the necessary parties so they know what’s going on. Make sure that one problem isn’t an indicator of 50 more. Don’t forget to develop the plan for the industrial strength solution. The sneaker brigade is only a short term fix.
5. There is no post mortem (otherwise known as:What could we have done differently?)
- I have found two valuable tools on doing a post mortem: 1) a chronology of events, and 2) a detailed description of the process. That’s what will show you what went wrong. Often it’s the process that’s flawed, not the person.
- Your post mortem often turns into the project update for your strategic solution implementation.
Finally: move on. Things will go wrong. The key is your ability to react quickly and ensure we don’t make the same mistake again…creating a stronger organization than what existed yesterday. Then you’ve done your job.