When a When a Colleague's Colleague's

Mistakes Affect youMistakes Affect you

Introduction

In an attempt to function in this increasingly complex world, organizations are becoming increasingly complex themselves.

Important

They are built on collaborative partnerships which means more and more of your work depends on the work of someone else.

When a colleague is making mistakes, this interconnectedness can feel like a major pitfall.

Important Question

So what do you do when a colleague is not doing her part and it's affecting your work?

What the Experts say The type of mistakes you might be affected by vary greatly:

A colleague may miss deadlines,

not produce the work required,

make errors in calculations or even provide you with misinformation.

Diagnose the Issue The first step is to understand what's really going on.

Try to determine if the problem is short-term (private issue at home, workload, health problem) or long-term (lack of skill, poor cultural fit with the organization).

Approach Your Colleague Directly

The best approach is to go to the source - speak with your colleague directly.

This conversation should take place in an informal and private setting.

Don't accuse or blame your colleague. Use concrete examples to explain what you are seeing and its impact on you.

Offer Help and Support

If a short-term issue is causing the mistakes, such as a difficult time at home or an illness in the family, you should offer to help.

If you find that the source of the mistakes is a longer term issue, such as a lack of skill, you can offer to help brainstorm solutions.

Protect Yourself

It's possible that you'll discover your colleague is intentionally making mistakes to undermine you or take credit for your work.

You can try to confront the person directly, hoping that may make him or her back down.

When the Issue Continues…

Despite all your efforts and care in handling the situation, it is possible that the mistakes will continue.

This isn't only an inconvenience, it could hinder your career. The experts suggest you take a few approaches to preserving your reputation.

If possible, avoid working with that person in the future.

Principles to Remember

Keep in mind that relationships matter.

Be direct and honest.

Offer help if the colleague is struggling with a short-term issue.

Principles to Remember

Don't badmouth.

Don't assume your colleague is aware of the mistakes.

Don't go to your colleague's manager without first talking to your colleague and your manager

Lico Reis Consultoria & Línguas

Prof. Roberto Lico Reis

www.licoreis.comlicoreis@licoreis.com

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