Human Resources: How to Recover From Workplace Mistakes

3. Conduct a preemptive strike. When you know your boss will find out about your mistake, figure out a solution (which is your do-over), and then march in and say to your boss, “Boy, I really screwed up. It’s a good thing I haven’t totally lost my mind because I figured out how to fix it.”

Then tell the boss what your do-over is. Catching your mistake before the boss finds out prevents him or her from having time to think about your mistake’s consequences.