Column | chapter nine algorithm
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Have you ever had a boss blame you for a recent misstep and all you can do is nod your head and pretend to listen to what he’s saying, but all you can think is: It’s not my fault!
Maybe it was your co-worker who screwed up, but you took the blame. Or maybe you have a legitimate reason for doing it that your manager doesn’t know about. In either case, you should let your boss know that you don’t deserve the blame, but what can you say to avoid looking like you’re not responsible?
01 “I didn’t realize it”
When to Use: When you are the one who actually made the mistake, but only because you have limited information.
Why It Works: You don’t know what you don’t know, but sometimes you need to act with limited information.
Of course, the best thing to do when in doubt is to clarify the question. When you’re being scolded, you have no choice but to go ahead, in which case letting your boss know that you lack important knowledge beforehand is the best option.
For example, maybe you did create the report in Google Docs, but because you’re new to it, no one told you that Word is more commonly used by the company. Did you make a mistake? Of course. However, you did so because of a lack of clear instructions, not because of your carelessness. Want to make that better? Then add, “Thanks for reminding me. I’ll remember that.”
02 “I did it because……”
When to Use: When the person who blames you doesn’t know the reason for what happened.
Why It Works: This is the opposite of the previous case. You are told you did something wrong, despite the fact that there is a reason why you did it.
This is your chance to explain to anyone who criticizes you why you did what you did, that it wasn’t a mistake, it was a conscious decision. You may have to deviate from the company’s normal way of doing things because of strict time constraints or special requests from clients. If that’s what they think is wrong, then you need to explain that you’re not wrong. In this case, maybe this is the best way to solve the problem
I have some confusion about this, can we discuss it in the team meeting?
When to Use: When you are blamed for a coworker.
Why It Works: Without a doubt, this is the trickiest situation. You need to make it clear that you have nothing to do with him, but at the same time you can’t leave your co-worker behind.
While this question may seem passive, it can effectively turn an individual’s mistake into a team’s mistake. If your boss starts scolding you or pointing out your mistakes in team meetings? You can only hope that the truly responsible team members will step up and take responsibility. But if not, you can at least rest assured that the cleaning up of the problem will be left to the people who are actually responsible.
THE END
It’s frustrating to be accused of nothing. You don’t want to be seen as the culprit, but at the same time you don’t want to look like someone who is passing the buck and gossiping. If it’s a small mistake, sometimes it’s best to simply say “I’m sorry” or “it won’t happen again” rather than defend it. After all, would you try to defend yourself if you were scolded just for not putting out the printer paper? Probably not.
But in cases where you do need an explanation, using the three phrases above can help you preserve your reputation without seeming whiny.
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