Q: I am a corporate executive and represent my company at numerous after-hour charitable and civic events to support our clients. Recently, I apprised my supervisor that I couldn’t attend a major client event as I was under the weather. The truth was I attended a friend’s party, photos were taken and posted online. A colleague saw the post and shared it with my supervisor who now not only questions my professionalism but also whether I an be trusted. Is there any way I can regain his trust?
A: Mistakes at work are inevitable, but dishonesty can severely damage professional relationships and your credibility. Being caught in a lie impacts your reputation and affects your workplace dynamics and especially the trust of your boss as well as your colleagues. Recovering requires deliberate actions and genuine efforts to rebuild that trust.
If your boss is willing to forgive your actions, you need to take steps to make better decisions to reinforce your integrity and commitment to transparency. Although you may think to yourself that this was not a major breach of your job responsibilities, think again. Because your boss and colleagues are now wondering what else have you covered up or lied about and why should they trust you in the future especially with major client issues.
That said, when caught in a lie at work, the first step is to take responsibility. To rebuild trust, it is imperative that you meet with your supervisor. This will involve admitting the falsehood, understanding its impact on your colleagues and the firm and expressing genuine regret and your commitment to improvement.
There are no excuses for your behavior, and again, it is essential that you state the facts and acknowledge your mistake. Demonstrating an awareness of how the lie has affected your manager, team and workplace culture will show maturity and a readiness to move forward with a real desire to make amends.
Moving ahead, you need to be laser-focused on delivering high quality work on time that meets expectations and shows your dedication to your role. Look for opportunities to contribute positively to team initiatives that showcase your skills and work ethic. And more than ever, you need to show up consistently at assigned events during and after hours to gradually rebuild trust with your boss and colleagues.
It is also important to maintain regular communications with your associates and supervisor to discuss any concerns or discrepancies that can be addressed openly and proactively. This practice demonstrates your dedication to continuous improvement and reliability, solidifying trust over time.
Please keep in mind that depending on your past work performance or other previous indiscretions, there may be severe consequences to your reckless snubbing of this important client event. Either way, hopefully this is a hard lesson learned. As Mark Twain said: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
Joan Lee Berkman is a marketing and public relations consultant. if you have a question for Joan, send it to business@townandstyle.com.
