User:Until(1 == 2)/Mea culpa

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This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it.
This page in a nutshell: Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that translates into English as "my fault". It can be used to let others know you have made a mistake. Making mistakes is not avoidable, but one can always respond to their mistakes once they are realized.
"mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa." - You don't need to beat yourself up when you make a mistake
"mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa." - You don't need to beat yourself up when you make a mistake

Often the ability to admit that one was in the wrong can very quickly lead to productivity. It is expected that any person will make a mistake once in a while, but it is essential that a person be able to realize, accept, and do their best to remedy their mistakes once they have been pointed out to them.

It is simply not possible for someone to always avoid making mistakes. It is however very possible to always react to one's mistakes in a productive fashion. Not only does it get rid of that nasty feeling in your belly it also gives you a wonderful warm fuzzy feeling and improves the collaborative environment the project needs.

You don't need to beat yourself up if you make a mistake, there is little to gain by punishing another person for a good faith error much less yourself. A more productive way is to seek to repair or mitigate any damage your mistake may have caused.

Contents

[edit] How to notice a mistake

The first step in recognizing and repairing a mistake is realizing you made one. Below are some signs that you may have made a mistake:

  • People are telling you that you have made a mistake.
  • Things seem to have gotten worse due to something you have done.
  • You have a feeling that you have done something wrong, please trust your instincts on this matter.
  • If you have never made a mistake, then you are probably due.

[edit] How to check for mistakes

Actually, if you are a prolific editor, you might easily end up making 1 mistake every 100 edits or so. It is imperative to catch as many mistakes as possible

  • Ask others "have I made a mistake"?
  • Ask other people how they might solve particular situations better.
  • Have people check your work on a regular basis, to make sure you're not going off-track.
  • Make your user talk page as welcoming as possible.
  • Reply promptly to any reports you get, and be thankful.

[edit] Entry and Exit stratagems

Accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes. Don't be afraid of them. Instead, work defensively, try to anticipate how things can go wrong, and try to figure out ways to mitigate those situations before they occur. Then, if you did judge the situation wrong, you'll immediately know what to do, and won't panic.

If you are caught in a situation where you don't know what to do, solicit advice from others, and follow it!

In summary, be prepared to exit as gracefully as possible, and have that preparation done before you even go into any particular situation.

"Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run."

[edit] Attract assumptions of good faith

The way you behave can help a lot in how people accept your behavior. Being graceful, asking for advice, and showing that you are listening to people can go a long way to attracting an assumption of good faith.

Oddly, by being prepared to walk away, for some reason people will actually be more likely to accept your ideas. Possibly this has to do with the fact that you are more relaxed, and can think more clearly (and thus argue more clearly for your position).

[edit] How to react well to your mistake

When reacting to your mistake it may be best to start by assessing the damage. Ask yourself what damage has been caused:

  • Have you offended someone, or otherwise treated someone unfairly?
  • Have you damaged something?
  • Have you prolonged a dispute?


[edit] Debriefing, what to do when things start going back to normal

  • Figure out what went wrong
  • Figure out why it went wrong
  • Figure out ways to prevent things from going wrong in future
  • Learn from the above
  • Say sorry for what you did wrong
  • Be glad about what you did right
  • Write down what you learned. (Anyone may write an essay, "if it ain't written down it never happened")