Has it ever happened to you that you are speaking to your boss, and you suddenly realise that they are blaming you for something that is not your fault? You know you have to correct them right away, but you don’t know how to do it without making it awkward or seeming vain. After all, you want to do it safely, without ruining your work image.
Your brain is screaming ‘It’s not my fault’, but you don’t know how to put it in decent words. Here are some things you can say instead to clear yourself of the misplaced blame.
“Sorry, But I Am Not Aware Of It”
In situations when you are not in the know of all the relevant information, you must honestly admit to your boss that you don’t know everything about it. Often you have to work with limited information at work, and there is nothing wrong in admitting it candidly.
Image Credit: TV Series – Girl In The City
“I Did So Because That Seemed The Best Option.”
When you are trying to put things in a context to your boss, as that will explain your behaviour, you can go this route. When you know you did the right thing, and have to present your point of view to the seniors, you have to be clear and assertive. This is your chance to explain your thought process to whoever is pointing their finger and share that it was not actually a mistake but a conscious decision.
Shikha Chowdhary, Content Manager at TalentSprint, suggests, “The best way to correct this situation is keeping a mail trail of your communication, so if and when you end up in a situation where you have to justify yourself, you can pull out the email. Always end such discussions with ‘I will fix it’ to leave a positive impression.”
“I Think There Is Some Confusion”
When you are being blamed for something that you are sure is your colleague’s fault, you can call for a group meeting. You don’t have to point fingers or name people, but clear communication will take the blame off you. It can be dicey as you would want to clear your name without throwing your colleague under the bus.
Now you know what to do the next time you need to tell your boss; ‘It’s not my fault’.
