When You Have Done Something Embarrassing at Work

Talk to any employee if they have done something really embarrassing at work and they can whip out a story or two in no time. It’s something that they are really embarrassed about but they were able to overcome it and learned something about it.

Every employee has an embarrassing moment that the only reason they will say they didn’t have any is when they want to keep at secret for now. If you have talked to a person that asserts he or she didn’t have any embarrassing moment, then that employee is not working enough.

Embarrassing moment happens to employees at one point of their career because they are dedicated to the things they are supposed to do that they don’t hold out on anything. Their personality goes out when they are very dedicated. Although there is a threshold of behavior at work, there are times that employees exert too much effort that even the bad and often embarrassing things about them come out.

An embarrassing moment is not career ending but it will create an atmosphere of awkwardness with co-workers and clients especially when the embarrassing moment is not addressed. In the long run, relationships between clients will get sour because of an embarrassing moment.

Owning the Embarrassment

When the unfortunate happens to you, there’s no reason to hide it. As already indicated, an embarrassing moment is not career threatening. But you shouldn’t just stay away from that embarrassing moment since it could cost you your reputation. You should stand up like a professional and admit that embarrassing act.

Take a tip from modern CEOs who may have jeopardized their company. Instead of running away from the obvious blunder, they faced their investors, stockholders and customers and apologized for the fiasco. Their situation is bigger and more dangerous than you are so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t admit it and apologize.

It Happens

One consolation that every employee would have when they face an embarrassing moment is these things happen. Only a mutant or someone too stiff in their job can lay claim that they didn’t have any embarrassing moment. If you are too stiff in your job, chances are you are not doing anything at all. You are not very productive and you are placing your career in jeopardy. If an embarrassing moment happens, comfort yourself with the fact that you are doing everything that you can to improve the company and that may inadvertently include a few embarrassing moments.

Don’t Take it Too Seriously

Expect to be teased when you have done something embarrassing. That may be the most difficult part and the reason why some people can’t just admit an embarrassing moment. But if your co-workers tease you, you can’t just fight back – have fun with it and get a good laugh from it. Soon enough, an embarrassing moment could just be a memory as everyone can move on and work. Just go with it and this embarrassing moment could be your ticket to be noticed on what you have done for the company.

Editorial Team at Geekinterview is a team of HR and Career Advice members led by Chandra Vennapoosa.

Editorial Team – who has written posts on Online Learning.


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