Mumbaikars on moving past embarrassing mistakes at work

With an HBO intern making news for sending a blank test email to all subscribers, readers and an expert share tips on how to recover from embarrassing mistakes

Recently, subscribers to HBO Max’s mailing list received an unusual email with the subject line ‘Integration Test Email #1’. The body copy simply stated, “This template is used by integration tests only.” HBO Max, on their part, apologised for the gaffe, admitting an intern was responsible for the mix-up. In a show of support, several netizens shared their own embarrassing workplace fiascos with the hashtag #DearIntern trending for several days. If anything, the episode proved that such mistakes are all too common across industries and ranks. “Missteps are a natural part of the working process; how you respond to and bounce back is what differentiates you,” says Brajesh Bajpai, leadership coach and director of international business at Vodacom. He advises following a simple three-step process.

Karan Dhebri and Samin Rafique

Accept your fault

“Organisations are very porous and it is unrealistic to assume that you can conceal any blunders. Instead, I suggest operating under the assumption that everyone already knows. When you realise that you have made an error, be proactive in admitting to it so that you can then work on resolving it,” advises Bajpai. Investment banker Karan Dhebri acknowledges the importance of this step. “We work in a very high-pressure, high-stakes setting, and this one time, I was assigned a project that I couldn’t complete within the prescribed time frame. I kept my boss updated about the delay. When our deadline arrived, my super boss expressed his disappointment at not being informed about the same. I was taken aback. I decided to address this in an email containing all the necessary documentation to absolve me. However, I ended up sending it to my boss instead of my super boss. I immediately approached him to explain my rationale behind writing the email. Fortunately, we had a great rapport and he understood,” the 31-year-old recalls. 

Rachana Saroj

Be sincere

“I began working when I was quite young, and my first job involved a lot of accounting work on software that I was completely inexperienced with. I made a seemingly minor error that eventually ended up causing a difference of more than R1 crore. My boss was livid. However, I explained to him that my error was one of inexperience and asked him how I could rectify it. I spent the next three hours manually checking the records to identify and correct the mistake,” shares Samin Rafique, a 22-year-old marketing professional. If your error is relatively minor, you can volunteer to see the humour in it before someone else pokes fun at your expense. If it is a major issue, you must take responsibility and make a sincere effort to rectify the same, says Bajpai. “Never fail alone. Remember, the task assigned to you affects the entire organisation and, if you need help managing it, you must ask for help. Further, if your manager is accorded some part of the responsibility, they are likely to be more invested in your success,” he elaborates. At a subsequent job, Rafique’s team, who were working on social media marketing for an Indian restaurant, mistakenly assigned their advertising to a Sri Lankan audience owing to similar-sounding city names. “My team leader explained the sitation to our client. Although we had spent most of our advertising budget, I worked on developing organic means of advertising the brand that proved very successful. And, in doing  so, I was not only able to turn the scenario around but also earned accolades for my work and initiative,” she explains.

Brajesh Bajpai

Don’t let it stick

It’s important to let mistakes be isolated incidents; you must learn from them so you do not repeat them. The last part of damage control is to take feedback about any residual impacts of your error and address them, says Bajpai. If the damage is irreversible, walk away. “Know that a job is a pit-stop while your career is a journey. If something isn’t working, don’t cling to it and let it fester. Look for a workplace or a role that is better suited to your talents,” he suggests. “After years of working as a freelance photographer, I found it difficult to manage a team when I was made head of my department. I struggled with my mental health and could not deliver. Overwhelmed, I resigned from my job. Upon reflection, I realised I was unprepared for the challenge of working in a team, as its leader. It is only once I left that I had the clarity to understand my challenges,” says Rachana Saroj, a 23-year-old social media manager. 

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