Effective communication of mistakes: Five wording alternatives for managers

What it’s all about

It is not only in the healthcare sector that managers must be prepared for employees to make mistakes However, how these mistakes are addressed can have a significant impact on the working relationship and team climate. It is crucial to formulate criticism in such a way that it is received constructively and does not impair cooperation. Here are five psychological principles and the corresponding wording alternatives that managers can use to address mistakes and maintain the quality of cooperation.

Psychological principle: Cooperation and personal responsibility

“I’ve noticed that a mistake has been made on this project. Can we discuss how this happened and how similar problems can be avoided in the future?“

This formulation emphasises cooperation and shared responsibility for solutions. Instead of blaming the employee directly, the error is presented as a shared problem. This approach promotes a sense of co-operation and encourages the team member to actively participate in solving the problem. Involving employees in problem solving also strengthens their personal responsibility.

Psychological principle: Learning orientation

“I noticed an aspect of the project that didn’t go as planned. I think it’s important that we learn from this and make sure we avoid such mistakes in the future.“

This formulation emphasises learning from mistakes and continuous improvement. By presenting failure as a learning opportunity, criticism is accepted more positively. The employee is encouraged to develop further instead of being defensive. This supports a growth-oriented mindset and shows that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Psychological principle: Appreciation and constructive feedback

“I really appreciate your work, but there is a point where something didn’t work as expected. How can we make sure you do better next time?“

By initiating the conversation with an appreciation of previous work, a positive foundation is created. This reduces the likelihood that the employee will take the criticism personally. The subsequent constructive feedback is aimed at identifying opportunities for improvement and increasing the quality of future work.

Psychological principle: Participation and problem solving

“It seems like you’ve made a mistake here. What do you think could be the cause of this and how can it be remedied?“

This formulation invites the employee to actively participate in solving the problem and analysing the causes of the error. This promotes a sense of participation and shows that the employee’s opinion and expertise are valued. The joint search for solutions strengthens the sense of responsibility and team dynamics.

Psychological principle: Future-orientation and prevention

“I saw that you made a mistake that also had some negative consequences. Let’s talk about how we can be better prepared in the future to avoid such situations.“

This formulation focusses on the future and the prevention of similar mistakes. By briefly mentioning the consequences of the mistake, the seriousness of the situation is conveyed without attacking the employee personally. The focus on future preparations and measures shows that mistakes are seen as an opportunity for improvement, which strengthens trust in the manager and promotes motivation for self-improvement.

The optimum

The most appropriate wording for a manager who wants to communicate a mistake to an employee is often a combination of the above approaches. An effective formulation should integrate appreciation, learning orientation as well as cooperation and future orientation in order to achieve the best possible balance between constructive criticism and motivation. Here is an example of a combined formulation:

“I really appreciate your work and have seen how much effort you have put into this project. However, I noticed that a mistake occurred in this project that had some unpleasant consequences. I think it’s important that we learn from this. Can we briefly discuss how this happened, what the causes are and how we can better prepare ourselves to avoid such situations in the future?“

This combined wording helps to not only point out the mistake to the employee, but also to actively involve them in finding a solution, which promotes the quality of the collaboration and the climate of cooperation.

Conclusion

Managers have the important task of addressing mistakes made by their employees without damaging the working atmosphere. Choosing the right wording can be crucial here. By emphasising cooperation, learning orientation, appreciation, participation and future orientation, criticism can be conveyed in a constructive and motivating way. In this way, the quality of cooperation is maintained and the climate of cooperation is strengthened.