You’ve seen the email newsletter titles hit your Inbox:
“I screwed up!”
“Let’s get this right this time…”
“We’re so sorry, but we’re fixing it.”
[Corrected] >> inserted newsletter title <<
You cringe with empathy for the Sender then breathe a sigh of relief, the mistake wasn’t yours.
Mistakes happen.
Mistakes literally make me sick. My immediate reaction, as a people-pleasing, recovering perfectionist, isn’t pretty but thankfully I am able to remain reasonably calm through the panic and self-deprecation to resolve an error as quickly and painlessly as possible by reviewing the circumstances in order to report back, apologize, and suggest corrective actions.
While unfortunately we cannot erase mistakes, we can learn and pass along those lessons learned.
3 top tips for reducing errors:
- Copy and paste. If you have original source information, use it. Copy and paste from original source material whenever possible. Manually retyping information leaves room for errors and transpositions.
- Proofread and test. If there is time within the deadline, let the draft rest. Always send the client a preview for approval.
- Utilize online tools. Enable spell check in Microsoft Office/Word, enable spell check in your Browser, and/or use a free Grammarly account.
“Your best teacher is your last mistake.” -Ralph Nader
