Management Rules: 50 New Rules for Managers

CHAPTER 19

HANDLING BAD NEWS

Cock-ups happen, even in the most illustrious career. How you handle cock-ups determines whether your career will be short-lived, or whether it can continue on its glorious path. It pays to know how to handle cock-ups before they happen: in the heat of the moment, it is far too easy to do the wrong thing and to make matters worse.

Here is how to handle the inevitable setbacks which will happen to you:

• Accept responsibility. Do not waste time trying to shift the blame. Your boss will have no interest in the “I said she said but I meant and anyway he didn’t and they promised” debate. The more mud you throw, the more mud will land on you. Best clear the mud up, rather than throw it around.
• Offer a solution. Never delegate ...