Handling errors well.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
You will break something, eventually.
WHAT DETERMINES THE OUTCOME
How you respond, more than the error.
WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY
Say so.
WHY IMMEDIATELY
Concealment compounds, and it is discovered.
WHAT TO SAY
What happened What is affected What you are doing What you need
WHAT NOT TO DO
Explain at length before stating the impact Assign blame Minimise
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Focus on resolution rather than explanation.
WHEN TO EXPLAIN
After it is fixed.
WHAT TO PRODUCE AFTERWARDS
An account of the cause, and what prevents recurrence.
WHAT A GOOD ACCOUNT AVOIDS
Blaming yourself in a way that ends inquiry.
WHY
If one person's error could cause it, the process permitted it.
WHAT TO PROPOSE
A change that makes the error impossible or detectable.
WHAT THAT DEMONSTRATES
Judgement, which is what seniority actually is.
WHAT ORGANISATIONS REVEAL IN THESE MOMENTS
Whether they blame or improve.
WHAT TO NOTE
The answer, about your employer.
WHAT TO DO IF BLAMED HARSHLY FOR AN HONEST MISTAKE
Recognise it as information.
WHAT TO AVOID LONG TERM
Environments where mistakes are concealed.
WHY
They produce larger failures.
