“You make mistakes. “Mistakes don’t make you.” -Maxwell Maltz
****This article was first published in 2014 and is still VERY relevant***
Today’s topic is about how employees can deal with the consequences of making mistakes, learn lessons from them, and move forward. It’s about “rolling with the punches.”
The meaning of “Roll with the punches.”
According to the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs, “carry on” means any of the following:
- Absorb the force of a blow like in boxing.
- Be able to face criticism and difficulties.
- To adapt to difficult events as they happen.
The phrase is actually a boxing term that means to position the body or head in such a way as to decrease the force of impact of the opponent’s incoming punches. For example, if an opponent throws a left punch, a boxer can “roll” with it by moving his body and head back and to the right, so that even if the punch lands, it would not be as damaging as a punch. from the left. Full contact hit.
While the phrase remains a relevant boxing term today, it has also taken on a new figurative meaning, fitting the heavy blows or challenges a person experiences in work and life. YesSimply put, it can also mean tolerating or “accepting” the difficulties you may encounter unexpectedly and, for bankers, facing the consequences of mistakes made on the job..
Make mistakes and face challenges
Have you ever made a big mistake at work? What are some of the consequences?
- Check…that is very minor. What do you think, leave you alone? Definitely not!
- Suspicion…wait for it. That’s how human beings are… even your so-called friends. Some will start to “look at you” and move away from you. Don’t worry, that’s when you have to start counting your real friends.
- In front of the bank’s Disciplinary Committee…the dreaded one. Sometimes some of the panel members understand how you feel, but hey, the rules are there, even if some of them may need serious revision.
- An arrest by the police, sometimes even being invited to meet with officials from the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
- Suspension of work
- Degradation
- Dismissal
- Financial and family challenges
- Stress
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
The recovery period
You are human, you grieve your losses, but set a schedule for your grieving period. What happens next?
- Release some steam, cry if you feel like it. Gone are the days when they said men don’t cry. Sometimes, when it is short, it is refreshing for the soul. Talk to a confidant or mentor, or better yet, your pastor.
- Take a break, whether it’s a well-deserved vacation, return to your family roots, to the town, to the beach, and change time, at little cost.
- Be more spiritual. We have an all-faithful God who never abandons us.
- However, set a time limit for your grieving period. Once you’ve let the moment pass, now roll with the punches.
Practice successful recoveries and new strategies.
The recovery exercise above will allow you to objectively look at what happened, how you can change your strategy, and how to avoid making the same mistake twice. Don’t start any blame games.
If you return to the same office after the event, you’ll be ready to face everyone you work with. Your co-workers and employers will be impressed by your resilience and will respect you even more and recognize that you are a human being just like them. It will make you stronger. They will quietly rejoice in their remarkable recovery. Show them that you can’t break.
- Every time you make a mistake, look for the opportunity to learn.
- Find strength in your mistakes and bounce back at an even greater rate.
- If you have to look for a new job, don’t be afraid. Just do your best and trust in the skills you’ve been cultivating.
- Defend your successes to the world and you will advance in your career.
Gaye Levy Quotes (The Activist Post) 01/27/2013
I find the following excerpts from Activist Post writer Gaye Levy very relevant and want to share them with you:
- Have goals. Even in difficult times, goals are important. They don’t have to be big goals, and in fact, smaller, more manageable goals are much more achievable.
2. Convert difficult situations into paths for personal growth. Learn from each challenge. If you have a problem that seems difficult to solve, let your innate curiosity take over and educate yourself. Become stronger through education, safe in the knowledge that no matter what your age, you are still learning and growing.3. Trust your instincts and remember that you are capable of doing great things. Instincts develop from a lifetime of experience. It doesn’t matter if you are 20 years old or if you are 80. You still have life experiences from which to draw some conclusions and help you make the right decision.
4. Maintain your optimism. You can’t change what happened in the past, so accept the past and start looking to the future.
- Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Take out a notebook of paper and make two columns; one for strengths and one for weaknesses. You don’t necessarily have to change, but from this list you can learn to understand and appreciate those circumstances in which you will excel, as well as those in which you might fall short. Use this knowledge as a tool to build your confidence and self-esteem.
6. Don’t forget that time will heal. It is natural to feel overwhelmed and stressed during a crisis situation. But remember, time really heals. Take small steps to overcome the bad situation, remember that in a month, a year, a decade, things will be different.
7. Appreciate and accept change. It’s trite to say that change is good, because sometimes it isn’t. But whether change is good or not, it is a part of life and often something we cannot control. The best way to deal with unwanted changes is to accept them and adjust your plans accordingly.
8. Stay fit and healthy. Take care of yourself, take time for yourself to enjoy simple pleasures like a good book, good music and the company of good friends.
9. Be proactive. Do something meaningful every day. By doing something worthwhile every day, you will have a sense of purpose.
- Ask yourself “what is the worst that can happen?” Dale Carnegie said: “First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then be prepared to accept it. Then he proceeds to make the worst better.” To this day, that is still good advice.
Very good quotes from Gaye Levy.
Last words
As humans, we will make big mistakes at work and may go through some of the above procedures and emotions and occasionally suffer victimization at work. If you are able to withstand all these tests, and go through the recovery exercises, you will acquire a good risk culture and you will become an invaluable asset in your bank.
Mistakes are mistakes and they are part of what is called “experience.” The most important thing is what has been learned from it and how it is shared, to prevent other employees from repeating the same mistake.
Dear readers, from the above tips, I hope that any mistakes you make will make you stronger and you will bounce back to full strength. These mistakes, when shared with others in similar roles at the bank, are revealing.
Now that we enter the last phase of the year, I wish you more strength to finish hard. Remember, you make mistakes, mistakes don’t make you. They will keep coming, but let’s be more careful and roll with the punches.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alberta Quarcoopome is a member of the Institute of Bankers and CEO of ALKAN Business Consult Ltd. She is the author of three books: “The 21ststreet Century Bank Teller: A Strategic Partner” and “My Front Office Experience: A Young Banker’s Story” and “The Modern Branch Manager’s Companion.” He uses his experience and practical case studies to train young bankers in operational risk management, sales, customer service, banking and fraud.
CONTACT
Website www.alkanbiz.com
Email:alberta@alkanbiz.com either (email protected)
Telephone: +233-0244333051/+233-0244611343
