By: Darnelle Simmons
Have you ever made a mistake and avoided accepting ownership of that mistake? No one likes to error but it happens and the best way to deal with it is own the mistake and accept the blame when you deserve it. You may know certain people who don’t want to come forth when a mistake is made and you wonder why, when it’s obvious, that something went wrong. Through research it has been documented that humans are essentially ego-driven creatures. At a young age we develop an identity constructed of our beliefs and how we view ourselves. Most of us think of ourselves as pretty decent individuals, better than average in some areas, a little worse than average in others, but always trying to do our best. It’s human nature to not want to admit to others that we failed, messed up, or just plain forgot.
When you know you are at fault in a situation and have created a problem, own it. Recognize you were wrong, accept the consequences (if there are any), and be part of the solution. This is a more effective approach than pointing a finger at someone else or acting like you don’t know what went wrong. Most people find that dodging a mistake is more stressful than admitting to one.
Failure is a crucial, and almost always necessary, path to success. By owning our mistakes it shows accountability, which demonstrates responsibility. It also shows to others that you are honest, which shows integrity. Be up front, it makes you relatable. When you admit that you dropped the ball or made a mistake, you can move forward and ask for help from others on how to right the wrong. It will get you and the negative situation back on track and in the right direction.