encouragement to do more of the same. Mentors can help, as can
a deliberate policy of extending people steadily so that they are
not suddenly faced with a daunting leap in the level of work they
have to do. Start by giving the under-confident tasks that are
well within their capabilities and progressively increase
demands, but only in achievable steps.
Carelessness
This is a universal problem. It can happen through over-confi-
dence, but we all make mistakes under pressure or because we
think the task is easier than it is. Sadly, reputations can be
damaged, even destroyed by relatively minor mistakes. If you
submit a report to your board with a glaring arithmetical error in
it, the credibility of your whole report may be damaged, even if
the mistake, although obvious, was not significant. Never submit
a report or write a key letter without checking every figure and
every fact at least once. If possible, ask someone else to do it as
well.
Laziness
No one would ever admit to being lazy. But lazy people do exist,
either because they are naturally indolent or because they have
not been given sufficient leadership and a well-defined role in
the organization. If one of your staff is lazy, put the boot in. It
cannot be tolerated.
Lack of foresight
This is a common reason for errors. As a manager, one of
your prime responsibilities is to think ahead. You must try
to anticipate all the eventualities and make contingency
plans accordingly. You won’t get it right every time and you may
find yourself occasionally in a crisis-management situation. But
you will at least be better prepared if thought has been given to
some of the eventualities, even if you could not anticipate them
all.
How Things Go Wrong and How to Put Them Right 309