Kev Kennedy's Blog

Messing it up big style

Today's been an interesting one. Due to an oversight on my part I had to go and tell a client that I couldn't do the thing we'd arranged for me to do - which involved travel and other arrangements that we had had several discussions about.

My opening gambit was "I've been a right idiot..." I think he sensed I genuinely felt foolish, because after we worked up a solution he thanked me for being so up front.

It reminded me that usually if you are straight with people, they appreciate it. True, they might think I'm an idiot, but at least they'll think I'm an honest idiot, rather than someone who ducks responsibility or tries to avoid taking blame. I prefer to work with people who will hold their hands up when they make a mistake. The important thing for me to remember is to hold up my hands when I'm the one who's at fault.

Created on Mon 14th September 2009 11:32