What to Say When You Screw Up (Instead of that Same Old Excuse)

Published by Ryan Paugh on April 17th, 2008 in Career Development, Personal Development, Work | 31 Comments

In the business world, knowing how to justify your actions is crucial because you will inadvertently screw things up, sooner or later.

But some people panic and give some utterly stupid excuses for why they acted the way they did. And what entry-level workers usually don't realize is that the same excuse that you tell your friend can not be the same excuse you tell your boss.

Here's what not to say:

Nobody told me I had to do that.

I've heard this one before, and hell, I've said this one before. But I've never known a manager that's listened to this lame justification and was okay with it.

As a professional, you're expected to know the obvious. So when you tell your manager that you didn't know you were supposed to do something, what you're really telling them is "I am an idiot." And you're furthering the stereotype that our generation needs to be coddled in the office.

And sure, there will be situations where knowing you had to do something won't be so obvious. But if you run into this situation, don't say that you didn't know. Just apologize, and say it will never happen again.

A good manager understands that new employees are fallible. So take accountability. You'll likely be perceived as someone who learns from their mistakes.

I got caught up with something else.

This one will sometimes work, as long as your manager really needs that something else. But if you use it without a good reason, forget about earning trust.

I knew a guy who would always use this excuse. Every time he had a deadline, he would defend his tardiness with his workload on another project. Managers started to give him less work. Imagine his surprise when he was only allowed to run one project at a time.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from young workers is a lack of substance in their work. If you're one of these people, don't even think about using this excuse. It will make your hunt for more meaningful work next to impossible.

If you're really having a hard time meeting deadlines, set up a meeting with your boss and ask them to a help assess your priorities. This approach will show that you're doing your best to deliver. And it's a lot better than whining about too much work.

My cell phone died. Or some other piece of tech.

Since technology is not always reliable, people are prone to using it as a legit excuse. But it's not. A good worker finds ways to get things done even when their equipment is out of whack.

Blaming technology for something you know you did wrong yourself is like blaming your dog when you fart. Sure, some of the time you'll get away with it, but for the most part everyone knows you're a liar.

Instead of relying so heavily on technology, take the time to make sure your work isn't always dependant on it. Easier said than done, I know, but there are ways to make it work.

In the meantime, put that makeshift excuse to rest. And the next time you make a technology-related blunder, just take the fall and don't blame your devices for your slipups.

Before you give lame excuses in the office, take a moment and think if you're excuse is truly legit. Don't underestimate a good manager. They've heard every excuse in the book. And if they catch you spouting off BS, you're never going earn their trust.