I did something wrong at work today...

kels.huns

We all make mistakes but I've noticed that making mistakes while being on the job is actually a good thing - because you learn from it. However, it is also a headache especially when you work in a team... and you do most of the work.

I do many stupid mistakes like missing words in email messages or doing a typos - God, I get so embarrassed re-reading it. So my goal is to triple read everything!

So what have you done wrong at work? Did you learn from it? Did it ever happen ever? And what was the result of this mistake?

Ninshark

I made myself the center of attention, complained a lot of petty issues, and was insensitive to others. Many started hating me, and it sucked after that. It wasn't fun anymore, and I don't know if I learned from it. It's hard to get to the root of my problem and finish it off, just so easy to be stupid. I did ask my professor for advice, and I'm working on a postive group environment for everybody currently -__-.

I don't think I could fix my mistakes alone, it's too hard to learn from them unless someone brings it up. always need someone there to help. mistakes at work suck btw, everybody is watching, and JUDGING, and sometimes it pays never to make mistakes.

Being late is another big thing, omg, if I could just have the strength to get to places on time ughhhh, why am I so lazy?! This is stupid I know, but I have trouble being punctual...I'm doing better now, arriving early helps. It's hard to fix mistakes when they become habits -__-, but as you can see, I'm still working on it.

happygal2011

I made myself the center of attention, complained a lot of petty issues, and was insensitive to others. Many started hating me, and it sucked after that. It wasn't fun anymore, and I don't know if I learned from it. It's hard to get to the root of my problem and finish it off, just so easy to be stupid. I did ask my professor for advice, and I'm working on a postive group environment for everybody currently -__-.

I don't think I could fix my mistakes alone, it's too hard to learn from them unless someone brings it up. always need someone there to help. mistakes at work suck btw, everybody is watching, and JUDGING, and sometimes it pays never to make mistakes.

Being late is another big thing, omg, if I could just have the strength to get to places on time ughhhh, why am I so lazy?! This is stupid I know, but I have trouble being punctual...I'm doing better now, arriving early helps. It's hard to fix mistakes when they become habits -__-, but as you can see, I'm still working on it.

Why do you always want to be center of attention ?  Just talk when necessary, silent when you know you have to shut your mouth is not difficult to do.

Being insensitive to other is a No and No No thing to do. Be it at school or even at work becoz at the end of the day you still need the help of others and this is where you know how others see you as a person. If you do not like to be treated the same way then you've to change slowly...

kels.huns

I am a very punctual person. If anything, I hate tardiness.

That's also my problem. I like to be known but I hate being the center of attention, because once you are in the center of attention - on  a good day you would get credited for a well done task but on a bad day, you just get bombarded with issues. In a sense, I need to overcome this if I want to advance my career.

I wish I was more outspoken, but I guess sometimes your mouth can get you in trouble eh Ninshark? Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you will thrive harder to be nicer to everyone and do well in your career.

ilmilione

I got myself fired from my very first real job lol. I was 16 and called in sick a lot because I wanted to chill with friends. Eventually, I got my act together, then one day really got sick and had to call in, and got fired. It was terrible. I found a job a few months later, and ended up being a powerhouse from there on out. I rarely called in (never do now), was always the hardest worker, etc. I learned from it big time - NEVER call in sick if you don't need to. I've even showed up to work now sick and I've been told to consider going home early, because I don't like doing it.

I was really well-liked at that job, though - that wasn't the problem. The job after that, I was also well-liked, but had barely any coworkers so it was a different experience. After that, I had a job with a boss and no co-workers (it was a research position), so I didn't really have much of a chance to screw up with people.

This time, I work with a bigger group and we're all close. I like them, I don't think I do anything wrong (I work very hard), but at first it took me a while to loosen up with them. I had this business-only face on, and never really opened up. After a few weeks, I finally did, and we're all completely different with each other now (in a good way). This time, I learned that opening up at work is great, because if your coworkers genuinely like you, it not only makes your life at work easier and more fun, you're more likely to get a good reference. I can say for sure that my boss really likes me and have no doubts.

lanziepanzie

I wouldn't say this situation is doing something wrong - But i'm in my early 20's working for a large company who is filled with many seniors and older people.
my mistakes (that i'm still trying to move forward from) is my lack of confidence. I always fear that the people I work with and clients just don't take me serious because of my age (especially since I look and sound younger than i am). I think performance for anyone who feels the same way is definitely not at the top potential. I guess it just takes time!

Ninshark

@happygal2011, "why"? Pride. and it's "fun" for the time being. that was last year. I tried to be better this summer around, but somehow it's not working. Punctuality- I am still working on. but then last night something amazing happened, my supervisor's lab-mate came up to me to discuss the abuse I've been getting from my supervisor. wow, I can't believe that the bad relationships this time was less of my fault. But we also talked about stuff I should fix. Today is my day off so I will be lazy today...

Now that I think of it, I've also made the mistake of trying too hard.
I have many ideas of my own, and it's often difficult to follow procedures. I think this and that are more efficient than that and this. And many supervisors take it personally. One professor I worked for really liked my ideas actually, so that was a good job, but many others I got in trouble for instigating my own ideas- and that it's safest to just go with the flow, don't complain, and do as told even if it conflicts with own thoughts. My teacher called it: "bringing in your own imagination". My dad calls it "meddling". It's easy to make mistakes and be cited for it if it's not in the agenda and something I added myself.
~currently, I caught myself doing this after a couple weeks, so I stopped, and now I almost don't care if the project doesn't finish because I'm doing all the work and none of the processes are my own idea.

ra123

Well there was this time during work when I made an extremely petty mistake and paid for it severely with a bashful of swear words thrown and rude remarks emphasizing on my incompetency. But meh, I guess it depends on the work force and the profession you are in. For me I misread the pressure gauges when we were doing corrective maintenance on our equipment. That 9 minutes wasted figuring out I gave out the wrong info cost us 67 minutes in man hours. I learned to double check every single time in order to prevent re-work as its my boss's biggest pet peeve.

If you are in a entry level job then there shouldn't be too much an issue when it comes to accountability. You can normally point fingers at the manager and have him/her take all the blame.

kels.huns

ra123 , you're right about the last sentence!

 

My supervisor is on 5 projects. And I'm on 1. So I do most of the work then he does the implementations - the end result. But when things goes wrong, I go to him for help and if things goes SUPER BAD, I forward him in my emails and give him the phone... to get yelled at. He is getting paid more than me... so, but I do feel bad. I must not have another mistake again.

whispering

God, I get so embarrassed re-reading it. So my goal is to triple read everything!

Doesn't matter how many times you read it, you can read the same mistake every time. You know what its supposed to be, so your brain assumes its what its supposed to be. 

happygal2011

@happygal2011, "why"? Pride. and it's "fun" for the time being. that was last year. I tried to be better this summer around, but somehow it's not working. Punctuality- I am still working on. but then last night something amazing happened, my supervisor's lab-mate came up to me to discuss the abuse I've been getting from my supervisor. wow, I can't believe that the bad relationships this time was less of my fault. But we also talked about stuff I should fix. Today is my day off so I will be lazy today...

Now that I think of it, I've also made the mistake of trying too hard.
I have many ideas of my own, and it's often difficult to follow procedures. I think this and that are more efficient than that and this. And many supervisors take it personally. One professor I worked for really liked my ideas actually, so that was a good job, but many others I got in trouble for instigating my own ideas- and that it's safest to just go with the flow, don't complain, and do as told even if it conflicts with own thoughts. My teacher called it: "bringing in your own imagination". My dad calls it "meddling". It's easy to make mistakes and be cited for it if it's not in the agenda and something I added myself.
~currently, I caught myself doing this after a couple weeks, so I stopped, and now I almost don't care if the project doesn't finish because I'm doing all the work and none of the processes are my own idea.

Hi Ninshark

Nothing wrong to bring your ideas up, however, in some cases, many will find you're such a "trouble marker" or trying to "act smart"..etc etc...the reality of corporate is really scary becoz we have to deal with different people with different personality or cross cultural working preference...etc, this is enough for many of us to learn in our entire life "how to work with difficult/different group of people"..