The Recovery Matters More Than the Mistake

My first live shot in local news was awful. I heard the anchors say my name, and the director say “Go!”

I froze. I stared into the camera. He yelled “GO!” again. Followed by, “She’s not talking, take video!”

During my story, he asked me, “Are you going to speak after this?” I nodded.

With less than a minute to recover, I knew what I had to do. I summoned every ounce of strength I had and delivered the final 20 seconds as if nothing was wrong.

That moment taught me a lesson that guided my near 20 year across local and network news: after something goes wrong, people aren’t judging the mistake as much as they’re judging whether you still seem credible.

That’s what this week’s newsletter is about. We will cover:

We are all wired to protect our status. After a public mistake, I see two common reactions in the clients I coach: they either over-explain and point to every factor outside their control, or they take full responsibility and punish themselves in an endless mental replay loop.

Neither response builds confidence in others.

What I challenge them to see is this: a visible setback, handled well, can actually work in your favor. The right response doesn’t just protect your credibility, it can increase it and signal leadership.

Before you respond, remind yourself what people actually need to hear:

You don’t need a long explanation to recover from a mistake and increase your credibility. You need a clear signal that you understand what happened and know what comes next. You need to: Acknowledge → Diagnose → Advance

Name the outcome clearly without drama, excuses, or emotional language.

Strong: “The results weren’t what we expected.”
Weak: “This whole thing was really disappointing and frustrating.”

Why this works: Calm and clear language tells people you’re in control. Emotional language makes them question your leadership.

Demonstrate that you’ve processed the situation and learned from the mistake.

Strong: “Looking back, earlier stakeholder alignment would have changed the outcome.”
Weak: “There were a lot of factors outside of our control.”

Why this works: Insight reassures people the problem won’t happen again. Any hint of blame erodes trust.

Direction is the fastest way to repair credibility.

Strong: “We’re adjusting the approach and implementing clearer checkpoints starting this week.”
Weak: “We’re still figuring out next steps.”

Why this works: Momentum signals leadership. Drift signals doubt.

Tech or Slide Issue
“Looks like that slide didn’t load the way I expected. The main thing to know is how the timeline affects cost, so I’ll walk you through it and we can come back to the visual.”

You Misspoke or Lost Your Train of Thought
“Let me say that more clearly. What really matters here is the difference between the short-term impact and the long-term strategy. I’ll break that down.”

Audience Pushback or Resistance
“I’m hearing some concern about whether this would actually work. That usually comes down to how it’s implemented, so let’s talk through what that would look like.”

Next week: how to make an impression at a networking events without sounding transactional or forced. I’ll share exactly what to say to start real conversations so people remember you, and want to stay connected.

If you know someone who could benefit from practical communication tips, I hope you will share this with them. If you’re interested in private or team coaching, email me at [email protected]. Thank you for reading this.