SINGAPORE: An employee going through a tough time at work took to social media on Wednesday (March 6) to ask Singaporeans how to bounce back from a setback at work.
“Got grilled and lectured by my superior for not knowing my stuff on the engagement since I was swamped with other work,” the writer shared. While he admitted that he still feels bad about the incident, he also shared that it has internalised the mess up. “I still feel pretty (bad) about it and disappointed in myself as I consistently fear it might give the bosses a bad impression—especially since I should know all this but I just suddenly blanked out.”
Set on overturning the negative experience, he turned to Singaporeans to ask, “Any idea how I can bounce back? First time dealing with this.”
In a show of support, many Singaporeans responded to the post with helpful insights. While some encouraged him to keep his humanity in mind, others said that the key is developing a resilient growth mindset. Others said it would also help not to take things personally.
“Don’t take it personally. It’s just work and just a part of life,” said one. “Since you know which area to improve on, then do it. If you are new to the workforce, stuff like this could happen. Treat it as a learning experience and show that you can do better next time. If the work is your passion, then good for you, if not, then after work, just do what you like. You are working for others so don’t put your health at risk and don’t worry about such stuff.”
“Resilience, that’s what you need,” another pointed out. “And always remember not to take anything at work personally. Those who do, suffer. Just take everything as an opportunity to improve and be better. But remember not all feedback is worth acting on. You need to think critically about whether the feedback makes sense. Is it truly constructive feedback for you to be better, or just someone else being (mean) to you? Keep this growth mindset, and you’ll be set for success for everything in life.”
Still, a third said, “Everyone makes mistakes. Give yourself a little grace. Just try your best to do better.”
According to an article by Forbes, while it is inevitable, experiencing setbacks in the workplace can be quite a challenge to deal with. However, there are ways to deal with them effectively so that the setback instead becomes a learning experience that makes you better. While it is important to acknowledge and process the setback healthily, it is also key to reflect on how such experiences are an opportunity to grow and learn. Getting feedback and support from trusted colleagues or mentors can also be effective. It is also helpful to break goals into smaller achievements and shift your mindset to welcome setbacks as part of the bigger picture.
See also:‘I felt like a dog’ — Employee feels disrespected after his boss snapped his fingers at him
Featured photo by Depositphotos/ tuaindeed (for illustration purposes only)