What do you do when things go wrong - when the sh*t hits the fan? How do you deal with it in a way that benefits your business?

Everyone makes mistakes, but it's not about what went wrong, but about what you do as a result to improve.

A working mentality and mindset is important. Things can be going crazy and there is immense pressure, but if you deal with it properly through your demeanour and personality, you are on the right path.

Ask yourself these questions:

* Did I do that?

* Is it my fault?

* How do I fix it?

It is tough to overcome the humility of making a mistake or trying to save face around others about your mess. If you are in a bad and foul mood because of a problem or mistake, don’t let everyone around you sense that frustration and anger. Don’t bring everyone down. Don’t make others feel bad because of your actions. Also, don’t pass the buck and blame someone else.

Some ways to handle mistakes and what went wrong:

* Evaluate what lead to the problem (identify what went wrong and when)

* Write/document about it

* Use someone as a soundboard

* Ask for help if you need it

* Give feedback in a constructive and well-mannered way.

Take a breath and re-focus rather than following your first reaction, which is to react. You don’t necessarily need an instant fix. Once you take some time, solutions will come to your mind. Then you can change mountains to molehills.

* Do something you enjoy

* Take a walk

* Do anything to lift that black cloud

It is easy to forget about all the things that have been done well when you focus on what went wrong. You will look back at mistakes and problems only to realize they were not that bad after all!

About Daniel:

Daniel is the co-founder and technical director of DMSQD, a design and digital agency.

Challenged Issue:

In this podcast, we challenge the issue of what to do when the sh*t hits the fan – when everything goes wrong – and how to learn from that and recover while embracing humility.

Daniel’s Actionable Tips:

* Remember what happened, but especially what you did afterwards, and importantly, how you felt.

* No one gets it right the first time. Allow yourself to adapt and react to improve.

* Right things, draw things out, or go skydiving - just get it out. This will give you clarity. 

Top Quotes:

* “We all make mistakes…in varying degrees of severity.”

* “Things are going to go wrong. It’s inevitable.”

* “Regardless of who did it, it’s fixing an issue going forwards.”

* “Nobody else sees whatever is being this monumental problem that you have had.”

* “It’s got to be about learning from what you’re doing.”

* “Your first reaction is to react.”

* “It’s getting over the fact that you do one wrong thing and that’s not the end of your life.”

* “Nobody wants that black mark.”

* “Nothing is perfect, and it never will be.”

* “You don’t learn anything being a Peter Perfect.”

Guest Links:

* HACKSAW™ (http://www.hacksawstudio.com/)

* Daniel Maw on Twitter (https://twitter.com/daniel_maw)

* Fancy Dan (http://www.fancy-dan.co.uk) 

Resources:

* Edward Townend (http://twitter.com/edwardtownend)

* The Strangest Secret (http://amzn.to/1Co8mI8)

* Mark Asquith Twitter (https://twitter.com/MrAsquith)