How to get chewed on at work – Photo credit: www.pet360.com
So it’s one of those days at work, when you literally feel like your favorite shoe on the day your dog decides to train her teeth…Your manager is calling you in his office to discuss the (lengthy) review notes on your latest audit. Emails and instant messages are pouring in seconds after you sent the departmental memo, yelling at you to add the attachment you forgot. And judging by the tone of his email, your client is not happy with you…at all!Translation: you’re getting slammed, professionally (or not) shoved, chewed on and spit out, all before you’ve had your “pick-me-up-and-carry-me-outta-here” snack…Take heart, there’s an app a way to handle all that chewing and spitting out without messing up your hair:
1. Whatever you do, DON’T PANIC! Chances are, if you’re already having a heck of a time at work and others are noticing, losing your cool is only going to make things worse. Stay calm, keep your cool, and resend that email with the attachment and a polite dose of humor urging your overzealous co-workers to invest in chill pills (or some other politically correct phrase)! Even if you’re boiling inside and everything in you is urging you to run to the nearest exit, stay put, fix what can be fixed and…go sit in a bathroom stall for a minute or two!
2. Do some damage control! Say sorry, offer to fix it, acknowledge your work mistakes as soon as you can! Receiving criticism for your mistakes can be destabilizing, but it shouldn’t set you in a negative frame of mind. Own up to what did not go well, defend what did, and resort to your best PR skills, while keeping a smile and cool head on…
2. The past is past, keep your focus ahead! Yes, you did get chewed on pretty badly for messing up the report, forgetting the email attachment, and showing up an hour late to the client meeting. It’s done and over with, move on! Remaining mentally stuck on your mistakes or a negative outcome will only paralyze you and prevent you from doing better. Remember your thoughts and attitudes affect how others perceive you, so if you’re willing to move on from the not-so-good and focus on doing better, chances are your boss is too (and will hopefully decide to go chew someone else)…
The Corporate Sis.
