I considered every angle. Reviewed the mailing list. Labored over each word. Worked with my staff to ensure there were no typos. Had the links double-checked. Thought long and hard about the timing and the design. Then ruminated over it, for what seemed like hours, worried that something might be missing or wrong.
Finally, the moment of truth! I gave approval to send out the email–the big announcement of my long-awaited book launch.
And then, BOOM!
It hit me like a ton of bricks; that moment of dread. I got word that there was an error in one of the MOST important communications of my career. The personalization field had not been populated–the letter’s salutation had a glaring gaffe.
I was mortified. Embarrassed. Shocked.
Once composed, I had a long conversation with the manager responsible for the project. She quickly and sincerely apologized, got to the bottom of the problem, and suggested a solution to avoid similar technical errors in the future.
My first reaction: I was angry! Not at my employee, whose work product had been stellar for years, but angry at the situation.
Then I was SHOCKED. Absolutely SHOCKED at what transpired in the moments that followed. Soon, I was receiving feedback; some of it helpful and supportive–which I was very grateful for–and some of it SCATHING!
“An author who can’t write an email. YOU ARE A JOKE!”
“ You wrote a book on networking? Is this your idea of effective networking?”
I wish I could say that I relied on my inner strength to get through this unexpected backlash but the truth is that it really disgusted me. I hate mistakes. And this glaring error and the cruel comments cast a black cloud over a day I had looked forward to after years of hard work; a day that was supposed to be filled with festivities and triumph.
THE DAY AFTER THE MISTAKE
I slept on it. And in the light of a new day, the mistake took on a different meaning and revealed some much larger issues.
REVELATION #1: As a CEO, the buck stops here! I realized that I was to blame for the mistake. I took full responsibility and returned the next day to explain this to my staff. There was a gap in our process that allowed the mistake to occur. With a new process in place, similar issues would never arise again.
REVELATION #2: The true character of a person is revealed in the most unexpected ways.
Instead of focusing on what we get right, we tend to focus on what goes wrong. And, let’s face it, we all make mistakes. It is how we acknowledge and rectify mistakes that defines our true nature. On the other hand, we all have a tendency to be critical of others and we have the power to break the spirit of our friends, family and associates.
In the electronic era, some take their criticisms to another level of hostility and rudeness. Whether through email, chat rooms, or texts, cyber bullies harness their negative energy to criticize others for mistakes that don’t actually hurt them in any real or lasting way. Instead of using personal computer and smart phones to improve themselves or the world around them, some choose to use these wondrous tools as weapons.
REVELATION #3: Success isn’t determined by what others say; it’s defined by resilience, hard work and believing in ourselves. When we have something meaningful to share with the world, outside criticism shouldn’t hinder our self-expression. We should put ourselves out there, be tough and not take anything personally.
REVELATION # 4: I recently read, “mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.” And I had to smile to myself and realize that, once again, the cyclical nature of life had revealed itself to me.
What goes around comes around is the basis of my book Networking Karma. Life is all about continuous improvement and helping others to improve themselves. That’s why, in some small way, I can appreciate THE MISTAKE … after all, I learned so much from it.
PS: If you were a recipient of THE MISTAKE email, I am sorry! And don’t worry. It won’t happen again!
Gail Tolstoi-Miller is an award-winning entrepreneur, CEO, career coach and staffing strategist. Her companies, Consultnetworx and Speednetworx are focused on connecting people for mutual fit and success. The firms’ new division, Careernetworx, will soon provide job seekers with exclusive access to training portals and career coaching services. Gail’s first book, Networking Karma was released earlier this year.