Accidental Insult Turned Learning Moment

We slip up at work; we’re only human. Everyone has been in that difficult situation where we do or say something that offends a coworker. This may mean misgendering someone, making an insensitive joke about a new haircut, or making an off-color comment about someone’s work quality. Something that may seem trivial to us can ultimately lead to a tricky workplace culture situation.

This brief tip sheet will provide you with some simple tactics that you should use to recover from a workplace misstep. When you catch yourself with your foot in your mouth don’t try to shrug it off, don’t expend a ton of energy kicking yourself, and don’t ignore it. Step back, be empathetic, and address your comment. Download this tip sheet and send it out to your employees for more recovery tips!

It’s important that we be conscious of the words and actions that make our coworkers uncomfortable. This does not mean that we all have to be overly sensitive PC police, it just means that we need to act with empathy. Critics and cynics will say that we are living in a time when nobody can be their authentic selves, for fear of offending someone else. This is not true. Being conscious of how your words affect others is not inauthentic, it is the only way we can encourage other people to be their most authentic selves.