8/16/2024-“No WAY was that my fault.”

Self-inflicted guilt is a momentum killer…and a self-esteem killer. Come to grips with the fact you’re gonna make mistakes. Focus on your upside instead.

"Oh snap, I really screwed that one up! I’m in the doghouse now." (So what? …how ya gonna fix it?)

Dog-ate-homework stories didn’t work with your school teachers, and they don’t work now with your sales manager. The same goes for your clients…and your dog too.

Your dog cares about his next cookie.

Your manager cares about how you think through options and solutions.

Your clients just want it fixed.

Own it, analyze it, try to fix it, learn from it…move on.

When you make your next mistake, follow this blueprint to help you manage the cover-up, err….um…to help you manage the issue:

1. What damage was created?

2. Who is involved, and when is the best time to approach them? (It may not always be right away.)

3. What are you going to say? Given the weight of the issue, you may need to write a script to help guide you.

The last is the most important…
4. What did you learn from the mistake, and how can you never, ever, EVER make it again? (Yeah, right!)

Some folks instinctively know how to apologize, others over apologize and have an "I’m sorry" chip inserted into their brain: they’re sorry for everything.

Everyone operates in this world with different guardrails and boundaries: what’s acceptable behavior for you might be unacceptable to someone else. You might see a seller friend do something you deem egregious, yet they feel totally fine with it.

But there’s rarely a grey area when it comes to making a business mistake.

You goofed! Okay, big deal.

Your action probably didn’t do irreparable damage, so stand as tall as you can and say, "YES, I made a mistake, and I will stand by it."

If you need help with the admitting/fixing/moving on formula, maybe you should recite the Seller’s Apology Manifesto:

"I’m gonna bungle a lot of sh%t on my accounts and can’t blame anyone but me even though I didn’t get the memo, didn’t understand what my manager wanted, and wasn’t able to balance all the demands on my life including my CRM update requirements and needing to make sales calls I’m sorry I’ll never do it again even though I know I’m not supposed to say ‘I’m sorry’ especially because I blew a $5 million order."

It helps to recite that mantra in one breath…it’s meditative.

Stop playing the Blame Game. Fix it, learn, move on.

Sincerity is everything when it comes to apologizing and admitting mistakes.

No excuses…

…unless you’re John Belushi as ‘Joliet’ Jake Blues in this classic Blues Brothers clip.

Jake has perfected the art of not assuming responsibility for his transgressions. (Umm, one of them.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftt4f2H3GDs