Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

EMPICS Entertainment

'We could learn a lot from Hugh Grant. If you make a mistake, own up quickly'

If you make a mistake in work, it’s important to accept it, take it on the chin and move on.

HUGH GRANT HAS a new movie out this summer and it got me thinking about how far he’s come, and how some would say he is now part of the Hollywood elite.

Hugh’s well respected, been in high-grossing movies and has a career spanning 30 odd years. Yes, he’s made mistakes but he’s bounced back. And we can learn a lot about handling mistakes from how he’s handled one mistake in particular.

Cast your mind back 21 years to his dalliance with Divine Brown. This in 1995 was shocking, yet Hugh handled it brilliantly. He released a statement the very next day saying sorry and took his punishment (a $1,000 fine and attending an Aids education programme).

He also appeared on Jay Leno where he apologised again and was publically mocked and shamed. While on with Leno he said “you know in life what’s a good thing to do and a bad thing to do. I did a bad thing”. He took it on the chin and moved on.

We all make mistakes  - it’s how we handle them that makes a difference

Now things don’t always go swimmingly at work. Deadlines get missed, a customer isn’t happy, there’s a misunderstanding with a colleague. Our cockups are a little less racy than Hugh’s but how we deal with them shouldn’t differ a whole lot.

Like good customer service, sometimes a mistake handled well can be better than normal solid service. It depends on how you handle it.

If you do make a cock-up the first thing to do is try get out ahead of it. Own up quickly. Don’t wait for your boss to come to you. Figure out what happened and what you’re going to do to fix it. Maria Sharapova attempted this last week, announcing her failed drug test herself, fronting up and trying to stay ahead of the story. (Although, her issue may be too much for most people).

Depending on the magnititude of the error the key, if not the only, question is: will the apology be accepted?

Of course, if we raid the company bank account, no matter how good the apology, is we’ll be packing our bags. (And meeting members of An Garda Siochana shortly afterwards.) However, thankfully, the errors we make are rarely, if ever, so egregious.

Saying ‘I’m sorry’

For an apology to work it needs to be more than “I’m sorry”. The perfect apology has four steps. Call them the four “A”s.

Apology. The “I’m sorry” bit. Straightforward. No ifs, buts or maybes. No conditions, mitigating factors or modifiers. Just “I did it and I’m sorry.”

Acknowledging. This aspect of the apology demands that you elucidate precisely what was wrong with what you did, and acknowledge, also, the damage you directly or indirectly, caused. “I’m sorry for…”

Attending. If apologising in work (or anywhere) the person saying “sorry” must attend to those offended/hurt/. You have to wallow in it. Spend time with the apology. Make the other side know that you register the damage and hurt done to them.

Action. This is where reparation comes in. Payback time. You seek to make amends to everybody you damaged along the way.

The same in work if you mess up. Tell your boss you’re sorry, acknowledge what you did, figure out a way to fix it and a plan to make sure it never happens again. Hugh Grant pretty much gave us the blue-print.

You get your good reputation back through delivery, and from the fact that you clearly learned from your mistake. Doing the job better than you did before.

Eoghan McDermott is a Director of The Communications Clinic and is Head of Training and Careers there. www.communicationsclinic.ie. Follow him on Twitter @EoghanMcDermott.  

Read: ‘Don’t give up just because Operation Transformation is over’>

Read: The show must not go on – the time to ban wild animals from circuses is now>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
35 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JD
    Favourite JD
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 1:03 PM

    Whatever about LeBeouf at least Baldwin is a good actor. Hunt for red October and glengarry glen Ross spring to mind.

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Skillington
    Favourite Tony Skillington
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 7:22 PM

    True…LaBeouf is an arrogant tool and an absolute crap actor. Would be missed like a case of the runs.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mister
    Favourite mister
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 1:10 PM

    He’ll be back. I like Alec Baldwin as an actor but suspect he’s like any other celebrity who finds the spotlight addictive.

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Carroll
    Favourite Mark Carroll
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 1:46 PM

    I don’t care I still love Alec Baldwin as an actor!!

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SeamusO'Suilleabhain
    Favourite SeamusO'Suilleabhain
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 1:37 PM

    Interesting article, I don’t get the James Franco references though.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Banking Bad
    Favourite Banking Bad
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 2:31 PM

    One of Lisa’s articles has finally made it more than a few comments and views without massive criticism.

    Bravo Lisa ;’)

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jane Travers
    Favourite Jane Travers
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 4:27 PM

    It didn’t, actually. There was a critical comment almost immediately, which I and another commenter rebutted, but when I went into the article to reply again the comment had been removed. Almost instantly.

    I have to say, I thought that was very strange, especially as my complimentary comment was removed as well.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles J. Ahern
    Favourite Charles J. Ahern
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 11:37 PM

    Yeah, why was this removed Jane?

    #RightToCensor

    4
    See 6 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jane Travers
    Favourite Jane Travers
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 12:34 AM

    No idea, Charles. Would love an explanation from the Journal tbh.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute hjGfIgAq
    Favourite hjGfIgAq
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 9:54 AM

    Hi Jane, happy to oblige – any replies to a comment which is removed are deleted along with the original. So if your comment was in response to something which broke the comments policy, that’s why it’s no longer there.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jane Travers
    Favourite Jane Travers
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 10:03 AM

    I understand why my reply was removed Jennifer, I just don’t understand why the original comment was removed. Yes, it was critical of the article, but surely criticism is free speech?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute hjGfIgAq
    Favourite hjGfIgAq
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 10:13 AM

    Ah, I see! If a comment makes personal remarks about the author of a story then it’s taken down. Comments criticising the content or argument of an article are obviously welcomed, but there’s a distinction between that and ad-hominem insults. “Play the ball, not the player” and all that.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jane Travers
    Favourite Jane Travers
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 10:21 AM

    Ah, now I see! Thanks for the clarification, Jennifer.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute hjGfIgAq
    Favourite hjGfIgAq
    Report
    Feb 26th 2014, 10:38 AM

    No problem :)

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Thomas
    Favourite David Thomas
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 1:44 PM

    I’m REALLY gonna miss him!

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hakuin Murphy
    Favourite Hakuin Murphy
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 2:15 PM

    Years from now, Alec sitting in a bar:
    “Oh yeah, I used to be famous. It’s a tough racket…” *swigs drink*

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute derrickmccormack
    Favourite derrickmccormack
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 3:16 PM

    what was the point of this article

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Some Feen
    Favourite Some Feen
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 5:54 PM

    Arec Bawrrin

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nigel Briganti
    Favourite Nigel Briganti
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 2:14 PM

    Who cares.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid Lenihan
    Favourite Diarmuid Lenihan
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 4:18 PM

    I’m strongly considering doing the same.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Catherine Mill
    Favourite Catherine Mill
    Report
    Feb 25th 2014, 6:22 PM

    No mention of Alec and his domestic violence? or does that not matter?

    6
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds