Things can go wrong at work – it’s inevitable.

The trick is to figure out how to cope and put them right. 

No, it won’t always be easy. But if you have a system that you can follow when the proverbial hits the fan, you put yourself in a much better position to cope.

But what, specifically, should you be doing? 

Prioritize Your Actions

First, you’ll want a system in place that lets you prioritize your actions. The right setup can make all the difference. When something does eventually go wrong (which it will), you have a process you can follow. 

Templates are useful for quite a few emergencies, but you might want to tailor them to specific situations that are likely to arise. If something different happens from what you expect, you can more easily add to your plans and see what fits in next. 

If necessary, delegate tasks. Don’t assume you have to do all the work yourself. In most organizations, you don’t. 

Get Professionals To Help You

You also want to have professionals on speed dial who can help you through challenging situations. These individuals can be inside your company, or from somewhere else. 

For example, you could start with a catastrophic claims adjuster, someone who understands your insurance situation and can help you better deal with the disaster. 

You could also phone a lawyer who can guide you through what to do in the aftermath of an event with legal implications. 

Even marketing professionals and PR specialists can be useful in these situations, since they can often find ways to help you put your best foot forward after a setback. 

Breathe And Pause

If you can, you should also breathe and pause. Sometimes, it isn’t clear what you should do next in a complex situation. 

Taking time can prevent you from taking knee-jerk actions.

Communicate With Your Team

Next, have a plan in place to communicate with your team. If someone made mistakes, acknowledge it fully. 

Depending on the mistake, you may want to allow a moratorium. Sometimes, it is easier to get people to step forward and admit fault this way by promising no reprisals. This can then create an atmosphere where you can get to the bottom of the issue faster. 

Keep Calm

While it might be challenging when everything goes wrong at work, it is critical to keep calm. When leaders lose their cool, it can affect the rest of the firm. 

If you need someone to talk to, speak to them in private and confidentiality. Don’t let the whole team know that a specific problem at work is wrecking your emotional stability. That could also cause them to worry, undermining your attempts to put the situation right. 

Learn From The Experience

Lastly, you want a system in place that lets you and your colleagues learn from any negative experience. You want to figure out whether the incident was an isolated one or part of a broader pattern that needs addressing at your firm.