Human Resources: How to Recover From Workplace Mistakes

2. Exaggerate your mistake. What? Shouldn’t I make my mistake seem smaller? No. Take your boss’s words out of his or her mouth and exaggerate your mistake. For instance, if your mistake costs your boss a few hundred dollars, try saying, “What a huge mistake I made. This isn’t good. You shouldn’t have people like me working for you.” Taking an exaggerated view of your mistake often will prompt your boss to put it in a more realistic perspective. And he or she may even tell you how to fix the problem.