Working in an ad agency office can soon become as comfortable and familiar as home. After all, you are there eight hours a day, sometimes more. And the people you work with can become like family members. And just like family, it is easy to brush off someone you work with or be abrupt or even rude, without intending to be. The people we are the closest to are the very people we pay the least amount of attention to when we are rushed, harried, or in a bad mood. We think that they will understand. And often they do. And that makes it all the easier to take them for granted.
But sometimes they do not understand. Sometimes their feelings get hurt, and they get angry. It is extremely important in a work environment to keep a close check on your temper, mood, and attitude toward others. Everyone in an agency is under constant pressure to meet deadlines and produce work that is highly taxing, physically and mentally. So if your temper flares, it will not take much to effect a co-worker. When this does happen in the office, try to catch yourself as soon as possible. Stop yourself and apologize before things get out of hand. The worst thing you can do is figure that the other person will get over it.
There will also be times when you may become so involved in your mood, plus absorbed with your work demands, that you may not even notice that you have offended someone. If you sense that a co-worker is acting strangely toward you, it is best to confront the situation directly and ask if there is a problem. If you have said or done something to upset this person, a sincere apology and an explanation of what was going on with you will set things right again. But if you stubbornly hold on to the belief that things ignored will disappear, in time you may be in for a real shock. In an office, when one person gets offended by your actions, that is only the beginning. In an effort to feel better, that person is going to tell other people. As soon as this hits the office grapevine, it will go straight to the ears of the agency owner(s), and you can be sure it will be greedy distorted by the time it gets there. An employer cannot afford to have a disrupter or troublemaker taking up precious agency time with people being upset and venting their anger through the only vehicle they have-their mouths. Having a bad reputation or unpredictable attitude, being moody or difficult to get along with, or simply ignoring common courtesy and taking people you work with for granted can be an express ticket to your exit.
Five magic words
It is nearly impossible to escape making a mistake when you work in an agency. Every time you touch something in the agency, there is a mistake waiting to happen. It is inevitable and unavoidable. Hopefully, if you are extremely careful, detail oriented, well organized, and alert, you can keep your mistakes to a minimum. But the plain fact is, sooner or later you will make one.
When this happens, if you discover it first, go immediately to an agency owner. Do not wait for someone else to find out about it. Then explain what happened, how it happened (if you know), and try to have a solution prepared to offer, if possible. If not, do not try to fake one. The main thing to remember when a mistake occurs, are the five magic words you can say that will keep you off the owner's black list. Those words are, "I'm sorry. It's my mistake."
I could never understand why people said that it takes a courageous person to admit a mistake. I think it takes more courage to hide it, because when you are found out, you are going to need all the courage you can muster to go out and find a new job, especially when you have to explain to an interviewer that you lost your last job because you made a mistake and did not own up to it.
Contrary to most people's opinions, a mistake is not an indication that you are incompetent, incapable, or just plain sloppy. A mistake will happen to everyone in your agency. It is part of being human to make mistakes. The greatest thing about them is that they are a wonderful opportunity to learn about yourself. If you can look at the mistake and ask yourself why it happened, you will discover an invaluable lesson.
Many people are afraid of owning up to a mistake for fear they will be criticized by others. But the fact is you will be more severely criticized if you are caught covering it up. When you come right out and admit that you were wrong or that you misjudged a situation or that you assumed something you should have checked on, other people will actually admire your candor, your honesty, and your ability to look squarely at yourself. In addition, your ability to freely admit your mistakes will allow others around you to feel more comfortable in admitting to their own shortcomings. In effect, your honesty and ability to admit your mistake can create an atmosphere in which people are not afraid to be vulnerable, knowing that they will be accepted, not condemned.
