Have you ever done something you were super excited about, then had it blow up in your face? I’m betting you have. But, if not, let me share my story so you can get a feel for it.
We have introduced a new person as part of my mom’s support team. She is a fantastic individual, and Mom likes her very much. Because it’s a new relationship and process, things are constantly in motion, shifting and changing as her care evolves. Even with the best of intentions, mistakes happen.
The caregiver and I talked about a new routine that we thought would be beneficial. At 92, change is hard for Mom and needs to be introduced thoughtfully. The new routine was implemented through mixed communication before fully fleshed out and communicated with my mom. Mom was not happy. Major mistake.
When the situation was brought to my attention, I knew exactly where the break in the process was and what needed to happen to move forward.
Mom took responsibility for her part by expressing her frustration.
I took responsibility for my part by acknowledging how the mistake happened and committed to changing the process.
The new caregiver took responsibility for implementing the plan before it had been communicated.
Subsequently, my mom, the caregiver, and I sat down face-to-face. We acknowledged the mistake, came up with a new plan and made a promise to each other that every effort would be made to not have something like this happen again. We each emphasized that we had the best of intentions, but the process went horribly wrong.
- Mistake made.
- Mistake acknowledged.
- Identified the break in the process.
- Make it right.
Top three takeaways:
- Surround yourself with people who will call you out if they think you screwed up. These are the most valuable people to have in your circle.
- Explain, to the best of your ability, how it happened. Don’t be defensive, don’t shift blame.
- Take whatever actions may be necessary to fix it.
Can you relate to this stressful situation? Personal? Business?
If this hasn’t happened to you. Awesome!
If it has, did you acknowledge it and make it right? If you did, fantastic!
If you didn’t, slip on your big-girl or big-boy pants and get it done!
Cindy Jobs
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