Lesson 3.9
Mistakes, Lies & “It’s on the Way”
Estimated time: 7 minutes
A mistake is not automatically dishonesty.
People make mistakes.
You may:
- enter the wrong number
- forget something
- misunderstand an instruction
- send the wrong item
- miscalculate
- miss a deadline
Integrity is tested by what happens after you realize the mistake.
Mistake
“I entered ₦15,000 instead of ₦50,000. I just noticed. Let me report and correct it.”
Dishonesty
“I entered the wrong amount. If I change the record and blame somebody else, nobody will know.”
The original problem may have been accidental.
The cover-up is deliberate.
“It’s on the Way”
A customer asks where an order is.
You know it has not been dispatched.
You say:
“It is on the way.”
because you want the customer to stop asking questions.
That is not customer service.
That is false information.
“Tomorrow Unfailingly”
Do not promise certainty you do not have.
It is better to say:
“We expect it tomorrow, but I am waiting for final confirmation.”
than to promise something you cannot reasonably guarantee.
Hiding Problems
Employees sometimes hide mistakes because they fear:
- embarrassment
- discipline
- disappointing a manager
- losing a bonus
- looking incompetent
Managers should create an environment where honest reporting is possible.
But fear still does not make falsifying information the correct response.
Core distinction
Making a mistake may require correction. Hiding it through deception creates an integrity problem.
More Workplace Examples
Logistics — The Missed Order
A staff member forgot to place a stock order and tells the manager the supplier is delayed.
The mistake could have been corrected. The false explanation turns it into dishonesty.
BETTER RESPONSE
Office — The Unfinished Report
An employee marks a report as “completed” in the task system so a deadline appears met, although it is half done.
A truthful update —
BETTER RESPONSE
— protects trust.
Remember
Tell the truth early, while the problem is still easier to fix.