I just made an awful mistake at work

[billandbeninsanfrancisco]

I don't know what to do with myself. It was on social media. A client I have really been trying to impress, I just accidentally posted the wrong thing. Something we had designed, I didn't notice a graphic had snuck in there to do with another campaign they don't support. I am very senior. She is really, really offended. It was late, I was tired. I'm massively overworked and doing jobs I shouldn't be doing. I don't need help fixing the problem (it's far too convoluted), but can anyone help me with the devastation?

yes, but the background potentially contentious.

I've effed up at work sometimes, its interesting you mention more than once that you're very senior, I get its to show what level the clients campaign it as etc but I think when its happened to me I've been beating myself with the 'senior stick' and its quite good??? to get humbled sometimes as a person iyswim

and looked like sneaky advertising for contentious

sorry typo - too hot- I meant I get your mention of being senior is to show what level the clients campaign is at

Op, shit happens. Apologise and move on. This feels worse than it is because you are tired and stressed. You will feel better about it tomorrow. It can't have been that noticeable if no one said anything for 24 hours.

well if they beleive that they're all stressed and weird anyway, let it calm down and do the equivalent of sending flowers tomorrow

I agree it's good to get humbled as a person. Overall. In time. But I have two problems, 1) I don't know where to put myself right now and 2) I'm trusted, I want to help them, and they buy into me as someone who helps them, and I'm the very person that's cocked it up.

If it was a junior I would think fine, human error. But I shouldn't be making human errors.

I made a similar thread on here years ago after I had cocked up and lost my company a £10m contract. My career survived just fine and when I look back on it all I see is where processes failed and combined with human error. I'm still sorry I did it but I don't blame myself and I've learned from it, which is the important thing.

I made a lesser mistake a few weeks ago. I forgot to submit a key document to a client by a deadline, which may lose us money over the contract. As soon as I realised I raised it with my line manager and with the head of department, apologised, and gave some options for how to deal with it. Both of them said don't worry, these things happen. And they're right. Again, I've learned from it and I've changed my processes so this error can't happen again.

I know how it feels right now but keep holding onto the thought that in a couple of weeks it will no longer sting, and best of all, you will never make this particular error again.

In a nutshell, you're human. We all screw up. What you've done is not terrible!

also the main point is that Org A is actually going to be horrified that I have cocked it up on their behalf

change your state in the next 5 minutes by going for a walk or whatever, then leave till later/ tomorrow, you will look back at your statement 'I shouldn't be making human errors' and have a different opinion, honestly I think you will xx

If it was a junior I would think fine, human error. But I shouldn't be making human errors.

Becoming more senior doesn't make you less human, despite what some may say.

You'll never stop making human errors, OP. None of us do. But we can learn what processes to put in place to make sure our errors are caught before they become a problem, and that's what you need to take from this.

What could you have done differently to have made sure you saw the graphic and pulled it before it went live?

To an outsider, it seems relatively trivial... BUT..Could you lose their account over it?

I hope not.. Some people are very easily offended, a genuine apology goes a long way in smoothing things, {unless the woman is the type to be a drama queen who wants to get her 'pound of flesh'.}.

10 million. gosh. That is really quite something :)

I don't really have to worry about the boss as such, as am a Director and this is a charity project / passion project for me really. It loses us money everyday! But I care about it.

well you can't control what org A thinks but you can do your best to own the mistake, mitigate, and move on positively

You are being too harsh on yourself.
Just because you’re senior doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes.

Unless the background was offensive I think B should get a grip. I know you’re trying to improve relations, but A can say what they like on whatever background they like.

Put it in perspective, someone else will be going home tonight and their mistake has killed someone today. Might be a bad driver, a doctor, a parent. You haven’t done anything that matters in the grande scheme of things.

"But I shouldn't be making human errors."

Why? Are you a robot?

You're just embarrassed that's all, horrible feeling but mistakes happen. Aren't these people supposed to be "charitable"

@billandbeninsanfrancisco
Could you contact both accounts and explain your error?

It would look better to acknowledge the error before they can make a big deal over it?

Seriously, being senior doesn't make you perfect.

It often means you're good at the overview. If you're doing work that should be done by a junior, who's overviewing you?

I don't think I will lose the account. They would have to go a VERY long way to find an agency who does what we do for the money they pay us. We practically pay them to work for them. And they are the loveliest people at Org A. But I suspect they will be pretty frustrated / bemused at my error. I think they know I am overworked and will also know that Org B is ever so slightly overreacting. But I've let them down.

Charities are the WORST clients, OP (not that you need me to tell you that!)

As others have said, give yourself a massive break. Everyone, no matter how "senior" makes, and is allowed to make 'human errors'. Because we are, y'know, human! The difference when we are senior, is that we can't ask anyone else to clean up for us xxx

Being senior doesn't stop human error! Our new CEO sent the whole company an email meant for one person in his first week!

Really really, shit happens.

But I shouldn't be making human errors.
Unless you’re an androids that statement is ridiculous. Use it as a learning experience, hold your hands up, apologise and move on. Make sure it doesn’t happen again and carry on.

yeah nobody is overviewing me. Nobody knows it like I do. I have done a mea culpa to both clients. I have to put something in place for Org A to review before I post I think, but they rely on us to be able to act fast, and it feels like a massive step backwards. Or train up a junior. They do the actual posting but rely on me for content.

Going to have to take my DDs for a walk in a minute as they have just watched circa 48 episodes of Numberblocks while I've been freaking out.

Stop.
It was a mistake. The income from the contract is actually minimal.
Speak to them both. Explain what happened. Apologise. Confirm what action you are taking.
What I have learnt as you move up is you have to be your own advocate. What would you do if someone reporting to you did it?it's no worse