You said something to a customer or co-worker that you wish you didn’t. Now what?
Here’s advice from experts at USA Weekend on how to fix three of the worst kind of communication and professional gaffes.
- You unintentionally insulted someone. For instance, you poke fun at a sports figure who just got into some legal trouble and your customer says the jock is still his idol. What to do: Own up to the misstep. Say, “Well I’m certainly no authority on this. I should consider all the facts before I speak.”
- Your joke was inappropriate. What to do: Acknowledge that you offended a co-worker or customer and move on. Don’t try another joke to offset the situation.
- You were caught talking negatively about someone. What to do: Apologize immediately. It’s in poor taste to talk about colleagues, customers or competitors, and you want to say you’re sorry and pledge to not do it again.
