Trials & Errors Webinar Series-Trials & Errors: Chris Cox and Claire Brownlie

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In a recent webinar, professionals in the alumni and philanthropy sector discussed dealing with mistakes and failures in their careers. One participant shared a story about mistakenly announcing a live event with incorrect details, which caused a temporary panic. However, handling these situations with transparency and honesty, such as immediately apologizing and correcting the error, was emphasized as crucial. Another speaker recounted missteps like mistakenly marking an alumnus as deceased, highlighting the importance of process checks and accountability. The conversation underlined the value of sustaining trust with colleagues and alumni by openly acknowledging errors and learning from them. Participants stressed the lesson that while errors are inevitable, fostering a workplace culture where mistakes can be openly discussed without fear is key to improvement and resilience. The ability to transform contentious situations into opportunities for rebuilding and strengthening relationships was considered a powerful tool in alumni relations and beyond. Overall, the session encouraged embracing errors as learning opportunities, focusing on corrective measures, and maintaining open communication to effectively manage future challenges.

Asset Subtitle

June 2024

For the first instalment of the webinar series, hosts Hannah Fox (Regent’s University London) and Marie-Rose Delauzun (The Sutton Trust) speak to Claire Brownlie (Liverpool Hope University) and Chris Cox (University of Edinburgh). Expect informal and candid discussion on decisions they regret or unavoidable errors - and plenty of reassurance that you're not alone!

Keywords

alumni relations

philanthropy

career mistakes

transparency

accountability

trust building

workplace culture

error management

open communication