Stupid Mistakes...

Someone wired $4.15 into one of our accounts and the bank charged us $10 to handle the wire! We actually lost $5.85 on the transaction! Don't you hate stupid mistakes? But everyone makes them. I know of only on Person who lived a perfect life - and He was crucified for living perfectly!

But you know what they say about making mistakes. One of my hero's in life, Coach John Wooden said it this way, "If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes!" He's right! But when you do goof up, it's the response to the flub that counts.

No, this is not one of our projects! But we see this kind of thing a lot on remodels!

Two axioms immediately come to mind. Both are foundational for running a good business.

• "Never cover up a mistake - it will multiply! Good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster!"
• "Show me the truth and then we can deal with it!"

Bad news is never fun to either receive or deliver. But if bad news is revealed and dealt with immediately, often times good corrections, and good relations can be the final result.

Remember British Petroleum and the Gulf of Mexico? If they had that situation to play over again, don't you think they might have immediately accepted the help of some of those countries that offered their water cleaning and purifying vessels?

I promise that I didn't make the wire transfer mistake outlined above. Not really too sure who did at this point, but I know who gets to clean it up!