Work On It Wednesday: Learning From Failure
By Emily Young MA ‘16
Reality check, “the real working world” is approaching faster than you can imagine. While school has prepared you for a lot, it hasn’t prepared you for everything. Some of the most important lessons you learn in “the real working world” are from failures.
Five Common Failures to Learn From:
1. You Covered Up a Mistake When You Should Have Told the Truth
Mistakes don’t end when you graduate. Even the most seasoned professionals sometimes make a mistake. Shoving something under the rug often comes back to bite you in the butt. However, confessing to a mistake shows maturity and foresight. Don’t make excuses; simply let the boss know what happened and be the first to suggest a solution.
2. Saying Yes to Everything
You can’t do everything. While saying yes to everything shows admirable qualities, like ambition and initiative, there’s a limit to how much you can take on successfully. Instead of blindly saying yes, ask clarifying details: the deadline, process, and available resources. It’s perfectly acceptable to answers that you will check or look into something before assuring them it can be done. Prioritize your work for your boss before helping others.
3. You Disagreed With Your Boss in Public
Knowing when is the place and time to air your opinions is key for professional success. Never disagree with a boss in public, it shows disrespect. If you strongly disagree, wait to bring it up with your boss in a more private setting. If you accidently disagree with your boss in public admit that you were wrong to air your differences in a forum like that and reassure your boss that it will never happen again.
4. You Blew a Big Presentation
Presenting is a skill, and not one that comes naturally for most. Bombing in front of a live audience can happen to the best of us—politicians, Oscar winners, CEOs, and athletes included. We have YouTube to prove it.
One bad presentation won’t end your career, if you address it head on. Assess what went wrong and have a meeting with your boss to apologize. Ask for an honest critique, even though it hurts, it will make you better.
5. You’re Hanging With the Wrong Co-workers
Letting your guard down too much in the workplace presents a challenge. Work can be more fun when you’re among friends, but if too many conversations center on inappropriate office gossip, you risk calling your judgment into question. So seek out positive role models at work, and begin respectfully limiting the amount of time you spend with the “wrong crowd.”
