Open Business

This isn’t my typical “how to” marketing communications article; but it does have to do with business communication and it happens to be especially relevant to me at the moment. Mistakes: we all make them – right? Yet who hasn’t run across people in business who find it impossible to admit when they DO make a mistake by deflecting blame elsewhere; don’t know how to properly apologize and offer assurances that they will work on the issue that caused the mistake; or simply out and out lie in order to avoid taking responsibility? I know I certainly have. In fact, I once “fired” a customer that was in the liar category. She not only lied when things went wrong – she pointed the finger at my company and its employees. Life is just too short to lose sleep over people like that…

I was recently reminded of the RIGHT way to handle a mistake when I had ads that went out with uncorrected errors for a client. The uncorrected errors were the result of both my own and my graphic designer’s carelessness. For me personally, it was a case of too many deadlines crashing in at once (I was about to leave on vacation), too much distraction (children visiting from out of the country), and relying too heavily on my graphic designer to get it right. I’m not blaming my graphic designer. I’m the account executive and art director; I’m the one directing the designer; and I’m the one who should ensure that every communication that goes out for my clients are exactly what they expect.

I knew before the magazines hit the streets that the ads contained errors. There’s always that moment when you realize you’ve made a mistake and this is the moral turning point. It’s the time when you either pull up your big girl (or boy) panties and proactively address the situation; start looking around for a scape goat; start working on the cover up lie; or just plain stick your head in the sand and hope nobody discovers what happened. (Of course, I chose to take the proactive approach.)

Regardless of whom the mistake affected (customer; your employer; co-worker, vendor, etc.) or what the consequences were as a result of the mistake, here are some steps to follow the next time YOU screw up royally in business.

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An apology seems forced when your mistake becomes known to the entire world. Take the high road – as soon as you realize the mistake, communicate with those who will be affected by it.

Someone very wise encouraged me to do this many years ago when I was in a similar situation. It’s a lot harder than sending an email; but it will speak volumes about the sincerity of your apology and the strength of your character. When the people you need to apologize to are not within close proximity, a phone call is better than email. However, if you need to apologize to a large group, sometimes email really is the best solution.

The full explanation is important, because we can’t make positive change unless we understand what truly happened. Try to stick to the facts, especially where other people are concerned. Sometimes the actions of others play into a situation that was ultimately your fault. Accept full responsibility and resist the temptation to point fingers.

No Mistake is a bad thing if we learn from it and it brings about positive change or growth. If safeguards or systems need to be put into place to minimize the risk of re-occurrence, explain that you have recognized this and are taking action.

This seems to be the hardest part for some people. They can explain their mistake and take action to prevent it from happening again, but saying “I’m sorry” is taking off the armor and opening up to… what? What is the worst thing that can happen? Why is it so hard for some people to admit they’re not perfect, when everyone knows that NOBODY is perfect? Just say it: I screwed up. I’m so sorry. Please accept my apology. Will you please forgive me? However you choose to say it, you must make yourself vulnerable. I have found that most (not all, but most) people respond graciously to a sincere apology.

This is especially important if your mistake affected a customer. You may have personal relationships with long-time customers, but your relationship is still based on doing business together. Perhaps you can’t afford to fully recompense your customer the way you would like to; but any gesture is better than none at all.

Ultimately, the act of apologizing – whether in your personal life, or in business – is a healthy dose of self-awareness: awareness of your actions and the effect of those actions on other people. When you can be honest in your assessment of what you did and the undesired effect it had, you will naturally be much less likely to repeat the mistake. Abandon the need to be all knowing and infallible, and you make yourself more available for more genuine relationships and communication with the people you do business with.

Kerry O’Malley is President and founder of Marketects, an agency based in Houston, TX. For over a decade Marketects has worked with numerous small to mid size manufacturing and industrial service companies and helped them increase brand recognition, move into new markets, and obtain new prospects through creative and targeted marketing communications. Prior to founding Marketects, Ms. O’Malley had a proven track record managing marketing communications in actual manufacturing and industrial service companies. Because of her work on “the other side of the desk” Ms. O’Malley has a no-nonsense approach to marketing and believes she can offer creative solutions to industrial companies, regardless of budget. Her specialties include industrial advertising and P/R campaign management; trade show strategies and display development; web site content development; brand identity consulting and development; and industrial management.