Nobody likes making mistakes, but they are an inevitable part of life. Even if we hold ourselves to the highest and strictest standards, sometimes other people make mistakes that end up affecting us.
This can happen for a variety of reasons, whether due to negligence, carelessness or a misunderstanding. When we find ourselves on the receiving end of a mistake, what’s the best way to point out the error? What if the opposite party wasn’t even aware that they’ve made a mistake? These days, going berserk and berating others makes for viral internet content, but that is not how a professional would handle a problem. Join Wordsmith as we examine how to courteously inform others when they’ve made a mistake!
Assess the situation
Let’s start with an example:
After speaking with your supervisor about taking some time off for a family vacation, you’re finally able to take a week off to visit Florida. You tell HR half a year in advance and go about booking plane tickets and making reservations for Disney World.
However, a week before departure, you suddenly get an email from HR saying that only half of the trip has been approved. Postponing the trip would incur serious fees and would be devastating to the kids… so how should you handle this?
Here’s what you shouldn’t be saying in your response:
To Sam,
This trip was approved months ago with consent from manager Keith Jones. Why didn’t you bring this issue up earlier? I sent the request half a year ago and you wait till the week of my trip to tell me there’s a problem?!
I am absolutely going to take the entire week off with my family and you’ll be hard-pressed to make me think otherwise.
See you back in the office on Monday August 14th.
- Jeff
Although you are entirely within your right to be upset with this news, immediately firing back a scathing response would not be a good idea. There are always “what-ifs” involved when considering a mistake, and making assumptions can quickly turn you from victim to antagonist.
Make the right plays
Before making any response, consider the following:
· Being upset and emotional impairs your judgement – the first thing you say while you are in such a state is often unwise and may be inappropriate. Instead, take a moment to collect yourself. Since the trip doesn’t take place for another week, taking an hour to plan out your complaint will have drastic differences (and benefits) compared to an emotional response fired off immediately.
· Bring the issue up to your manager first – if he has indeed expressed approval, he can back up your claims and hopefully appeal HR’s decision.
· We don’t know whose fault it is, so don’t automatically assume that Sam from HR is out to get you (he may just be the person responsible for relaying the news) – if you still have the original leave request in your email records and HR’s following confirmation, these two messages are vital evidence for your case. Remember, details and evidence will always show that there has been a mistake… flying off the hinges will only show a lack of EQ control.
· If there are consequences to the mistake that will affect you, be sure to bring it up to motivate the opposition to action quicker. In this case, denying your family a much-anticipated trip will undoubtedly cause grief.
· Are we open to negotiation? Given the circumstances, delaying the trip would be unfeasible unless the company was willing to refund the differences (and hopefully make up for the lost time)! On the other hand, being able to compromise may put you into management’s good books. Have a discussion with your family first to see what sort of deals would be acceptable.
Despite the bad news, do stay composed and polite – being condescending and mean to others won’t result in a quicker solution. Be firm on your position, and ask for fair compensation or reparations if you are owed them. Here’s how a more collected response would appear:
To Sam,
I’ve received your email and there seems to be a mistake with the scheduling. I sent the leave request half a year ago on February 24th with consent from manager Keith Jones, and received confirmation from George Dunnit at HR shortly after. I’ve attached screenshots of the two emails for your reference.
Can you please double-check with George? My family has been very excited about the trip and to cancel or postpone would devastate the kids – furthermore, cancelling or postponing some of the reservations would incur some serious fees and cause us to lose our deposits. We expect to be fully reimbursed if worse comes to worst.
Please let me know if you need any more details and get back to me as soon as possible.
Thanks and regards,
Jeff Lee
Mistakes are as unavoidable as the IRS trying to squeeze every taxable dollar out of us. However difficult your position may be, presenting yourself professionally and courteously is essential for getting the situation remedied in a timely and efficient manner.