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Gaining credits when fixing other people's mistakes

#1 · December 3, 2022, 2:56 pm

Quote from Lucio Buffalmano on December 3, 2022, 2:56 pm
@bel
This is good:
Quote from Bel on December 3, 2022, 2:18 pm
On taking credit for lowering taxes vs scalping on a mistake of the notary
Yes, I let my client know I was able to find a way to “lower the taxes”.
Albeit I have to admit: I basically let my client know that there had been a “mistake” on the quote by the notary.
Now, from your post and from Transitioned post, I understand I should instead have just said I had “found a way to lower taxes”.
I remember one of the books on workplace strategies you suggest saying the exact same thing: when fixing mistakes, never point out the mistake, but only focus on how you helped find the solution, because:
- it’s evident to all that someone had made a mistake, or you wouldn’t have found a (better) solution;
- you want the person making the mistake as your ally, not as an enemy;
- by not “scalping” on the mistake, you come across as even more the grown-up guy and gain the respect of high-power people for behaving high-power and knowing the secret handshake.
And it's good especially if he trusts.
Problem is, if it's a new relationship or he doesn't trust you (yet), it's just your after-the-fact words.
Another option that truly maximizes your background value-creation:
Forward the wrong quote right away to your customer.
That way you show fast action, but can also gain big points when you get back with a revised and lower tax rate that you found a way to get.
Then he will know it was you (and will be delighted with the results).
You can leave it as it is when you forward the email and then get back to him with "great news", or even just hint at what may be coming:
Notaries usually know their stuff, but I know of a new law on these issues.
Let me explore it further and contact a new notary as well.
Just to be clear:
This is just an idea.
Not saying it's the best solution here, and it's also, well... Veeeery Machiavellian and "gamey".
You're also throwing the notary under the bus, albeit... One, he did make a mistake. Two, you're not colleagues or friends. And three, it's low or no cost for the notary since if you're the intermediary, you decide who to go to, so he loses little to nothing with having his mistake paraded to the final customer.

@bel

This is good:

Quote from Bel on December 3, 2022, 2:18 pm
On taking credit for lowering taxes vs scalping on a mistake of the notary
Yes, I let my client know I was able to find a way to “lower the taxes”.
Albeit I have to admit: I basically let my client know that there had been a “mistake” on the quote by the notary.
Now, from your post and from Transitioned post, I understand I should instead have just said I had “found a way to lower taxes”.
I remember one of the books on workplace strategies you suggest saying the exact same thing: when fixing mistakes, never point out the mistake, but only focus on how you helped find the solution, because:
- it’s evident to all that someone had made a mistake, or you wouldn’t have found a (better) solution;
- you want the person making the mistake as your ally, not as an enemy;
- by not “scalping” on the mistake, you come across as even more the grown-up guy and gain the respect of high-power people for behaving high-power and knowing the secret handshake.

And it's good especially if he trusts.

Problem is, if it's a new relationship or he doesn't trust you (yet), it's just your after-the-fact words.

Another option that truly maximizes your background value-creation:

Forward the wrong quote right away to your customer.

That way you show fast action, but can also gain big points when you get back with a revised and lower tax rate that you found a way to get.

Then he will know it was you (and will be delighted with the results).

You can leave it as it is when you forward the email and then get back to him with "great news", or even just hint at what may be coming:

Notaries usually know their stuff, but I know of a new law on these issues.
Let me explore it further and contact a new notary as well.

Just to be clear:

This is just an idea.

Not saying it's the best solution here, and it's also, well... Veeeery Machiavellian and "gamey".

You're also throwing the notary under the bus, albeit... One, he did make a mistake. Two, you're not colleagues or friends. And three, it's low or no cost for the notary since if you're the intermediary, you decide who to go to, so he loses little to nothing with having his mistake paraded to the final customer.

Transitioned, Kavalier and B have reacted to this post.

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