Read This to Keep Your Job

If you mess up, ‘fess up. Making mistakes at work could ruin your reputation, suggests a new study in the Journal of Business and Psychology.

Someone needs to relax.

Researchers had people read a series of error-filled emails from a manager and asked them to rate the sender as if it were their boss.
The results: Not only did the study participants rate these mistake-making bosses as less competent, they claimed they were less desirable to work for and less effective in a high-level position. What’s more, male managers were judged more harshly than female managers who made the same mistake. (Worried about your interoffice communication skills? Here’s how to Act Like a Boss.)
It doesn’t matter whether you’re the CEO of a company or the guy sitting behind the reception desk—a mistake is a mistake. So what’s a guy supposed to do to get out of the doghouse?
Simple. Follow this step-by-step plan from Paul Powers, Ph.D., a management psychologist and the author of Winning Job Interviews, to fix any office slip-up.

1. Switch to Damage Control
Before you flee the scene for screwing up, stop. Take a deep breath. And think to yourself: Who needs to hear about this—from me—before the shit hits the fan? “This moment of clarity is key,” Powers explains. “Because you need to have your facts straight when you approach your boss.”

2. Break the News in Person
Once you’re cool, calm, and collected, approach your boss and fill him in on the situation. “Realistically, owning up to your own mistake is half the battle, and doing it in person is even better,” says Powers. But what’s so great about face time? It shows you care, says Powers. The workplace is a competitive environment. So fessing up directly is your best bet at fixing things before someone else throws you under the bus. (Speaking of office drama, Are You the Office Outcast—Without Knowing It?)
3. Stick to the Game Plan
Never try and beat around the bush or blame someone else for what happened, says Powers. Your game plan is simple: Break the bad news, explain why it happened, and apologize for the inconvenience.
4. Find a Solution
Never drop a problem off or fess up to a mistake and expect someone else to fix it, says Powers. “You need to have a solution to the mess you’ve made in order to dilute the negativity,” he explains. So for example, if you were late to work, make a change: Buy a new alarm clock, take a new route to avoid the morning traffic, or leave earlier to prevent the problem. (Want more surprising, practical tips for everyday life?

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