Snap your suspenders too hard,

and your pants’ll fall down!

     Every minute of every hour of every day, human beings are making mistakes. Many of these happen at work. The workplace sometimes seems to breed screw-ups! Have you noticed a few in your life? Just here and there of course.

     Well, you may say as you sit back and snap your suspenders, “Ya win some, ya lose some, and some get rained out, but there’s always another ballgame!” Yup. And there’s always another screw-up!

     Now, let’s talk “mistake” vs. “person” for a minute. Either and/or both can be legitimately referred to as “screw-ups,” so it’s often the situation that technically dictates what we mean by the term.

     Oh, right, people we might designate as “screw-ups” are probably the most likely ones to commit the evil errors that cost them their reputations, but so what? In the end, when the deed is done, and damage assessments are rolling in, what’s the difference who did what to whom?

     Getting squared away, you say, returning to normal (whatever that is) is what really matters. That’s certainly a bell-ringer statement, but guess what? It DOES make a difference who did what to whom because knowing the answer sets the table for everyone else to learn something important.

     The standard screw-up who screws up sweeps (shovels?) the screw-up under the rug, slinks off into dark shadows and –once convinced of escaping unscathed– whistles her or his way to lunch hour or the time clock or into commuter rush hour.

     Hmmm, ever see anyone whistling in standstill traffic? Figure it could only mean a screw-up has taken place (or perchance some other type of event has occurred that we shy away from discussing here since loving grandchildren sometimes visit!).  

     Well, here’s the bottom line: Screw-ups are a good thing if they are part of a genuine effort to advance your business, if they can be learned from, AND if the circumstances can be openly shared with everyone else in your business!

     Hey, no way! Sounds nice, says you, still suspender-snapping away, but people don’t own up to mistakes. Well, if that’s the conduct code in your business, you may be actively investing in your own demise as screw-ups get bigger, have greater impact, and are more surreptitiously dispensed with.

     When’s the last time you got away with something you shouldn’t have? Do you really want your business mission wrapped around sneakiness?

I hope that wasn’t you that just tip-toe away from your screen?

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Input welcome anytime: Hal@TheWriterWorks.com (”Businessworks” in the subject line) or comment below. Thanks for visiting. Go for your goals, good night and God bless you! halalpiar  # # # 

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