Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I never said the typo was "insignificant". I do not think these are the words I used at all.
I simply stated that this "typo" in comparison to the overall quality of the work is minor. Now, I understand this blocked the input, hence the fact I chose to shift the entire blame upon myself, disregarding the proofreader's.
However, in my view, they should also keep in mind that this project was given to:
1. Someone who had never done it before with no prior training and minimal instructions at the last minute.
2. Someone who is a fairly recent new-joiner, and could have therefore misunderstood the instructions, and not done it properly at all.
3. Someone who had no onshore supervision.
I think, given the above, they could have wound up with a way worse outcome (i.e: not getting it done at all). In reality, they gave me the instructions, but had no idea what to expect until I submitted it. The calculations could have been all wrong given the lack of instructions.
In the grand scheme of things, my performance on this project was good. They should be glad I got the grasp of it fairly quickly, because if it were someone else, the project wouldn't have been submitted in the first place. Someone else would have had to do it all over again. But the goal was to get the input done on time, and we didn't!
Now granted, the typing mistake rendered the work void of its substance, as the input was delayed. The proofreader's fault is also at play.
Also, things would have been different if I had done this several times already. This was my first time, and to be fair, they should have been expecting a lot worse from someone who has never worked on such advanced project in such a short time frame. They're acting as though I've done this a hundred times already.
This is all about perspective.
You didn't have to say that it was insignificant. You sound like you're treating this "small typo" as no biggie. I used to manage 15 people. When someone made a mistake, I got the brunt of it. I was thrown into a process that had no permanent staff, no procedures and the previous manager had no background. I put together a team, drafted procedures, worked with multiple business lines AND got them out of a backlog. Never got a pat on the back but when something went wrong, it hit the fan and I got the wrath. My point is that when there's an error, the 99 things you do fantastically all goes out the window.
OP, I know it feels bad to be berated over an unfortunate situation all around. It sounds like you did a good job with very little time or guidance. So my heart is with you.
And ..... I have had to learn the hard way that this happens not infrequently in work settings. Not all managers think about the best way to communicate with employees, or the value of the effort provided, or what is "fair." Some of them are worse responders than your manager, some better. I've had to learn (believe me, over time, not overnight) to toughen my skin and to identify an internal source of affirmation and evaluation.
You think you did a good job with what you had before you - that's what matters most. As long as you're open to learning from mistakes and the feedback of others, you're in a good place.
Did you read what I wrote in my post? Do you know what a "typo" is? Do you know what proof-reading is for?
It was not a typo due to a lack of understanding of the material, otherwise it would not be called a typo but an actual mistake.
This was not a mistake of substance. It was a typing mistake - like - casr instead of cars!
My colleague said I did it perfectly and even congratulated me (adding my manager in copy).
Do you really think he would have submitted the work had the proof-reading showed substantial calculation mistakes? Are you serious?
Do I need to ask for guidance to write a series of figures correctly now? It was not a calculation error or a procedural one.
You keep defending yourself. Typos can cause havoc. Apparently that one did and a nice one to boot. In my world proof readers are a second set of eyes not those responsible for material released.
I'm confused. You keep saying you did the work perfectly, yet there was a typo that prevented the work from being "processed" or whatever in time. So it wasn't perfect. Typos matter. And you said it was a typo related to figures, which could be a very big deal since no one knows a number is wrong, where as a word typo like your cars example is easier to spot.
I'm not sure the proofreader would know that figures were wrong unless he had the raw data to compare to.
I think you should just learn from the experience (maybe the lesson is to review documents 1 or 2 more times, and check all figures) and move on. This is normal workplace dynamics. Sometimes people get thrown under the bus unfairly.
I'm confused. You keep saying you did the work perfectly, yet there was a typo that prevented the work from being "processed" or whatever in time. So it wasn't perfect. Typos matter. And you said it was a typo related to figures, which could be a very big deal since no one knows a number is wrong, where as a word typo like your cars example is easier to spot.
I'm not sure the proofreader would know that figures were wrong unless he had the raw data to compare to.
I think you should just learn from the experience (maybe the lesson is to review documents 1 or 2 more times, and check all figures) and move on. This is normal workplace dynamics. Sometimes people get thrown under the bus unfairly.
The proofreader had the raw data in front of him. We have to submit both the results and the data is was generated from. The typo didn't come from the calculation, but from a replication. The calculation was perfect. The replication went wrong on one row.
I reviewed the document three times before submitting it. On my screen and twice on paper, to make sure it was fine. I have a very "annoying" habit of double-checking everything three times and to print everythig off, to make sure I'm not making any mistake.
He could have easily spotted the figures were wrong, because for each batch, there had to be two rows of the containing the same figures. The figures didn't replicate properly in a set of two rows, which caused the issue.
Example:
Row A: 17, 532
Row A1: 17, 352
This is basically what happened. This is something that I could have spotted and so could have the proofreader.
It all sucks. Your manager is clearly not aware that you did a great job and sought help with proofreading. Don't allow her misconceptions to go on.
Go to your manager and say the following.
"I thought I did a good job on this project, considering I've only been here for nine months and it's nothing like what I do every day. I managed to figure it out with hardly any instructions, and did it correctly except for one typo.
It's notoriously difficult for a person to see their own typos, but I proofread it several times and found all of them except one. It was then forwarded to Mr. Been-Here-For-20-Years to proofread. He read it and said it was perfect, so I submitted it.
I want to know what I could have done differently, because I'm worried now that I won't get such a chance again."
The bottom line is they asked you if you were up to the task and you said you were.
You weren't.
Chalk it up to lesson learned and move forward.
There is a huge difference in the ability to understand and execute a task versus a typo. A single freaking typo!
ALL human being make typos because NO human beings are robots.
NO ONE subscribes to some irrational standard that a typo means a person isn't capable. You can't possibly believe that the person who usually does this project never makes typos. And you can't tell me that the manager never makes typos.
If a single typo means someone isn't up to the task, then everyone everywhere should be fired from their job right now. That includes you.
It sounds to me that you are minimizing your error and the impact it had on successful transmission of the report. A mistake can be small or big but it is still a mistake.
IMO you should adjust your attitude. Take the hit for the team and seek to improve next time. Show character
While it doesn't seem you are happy with managements response if they have been around for awhile they know that you had the report double checked and weren't alone in reviewing it. They know you had to self teach to do the project. They may be watching you to see how you handle the situation
Good luck
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There is a huge difference in the ability to understand and execute a task versus a typo. A single freaking typo!
