Do you wish you could hit a reset button and start over?
If you are like me you probably have situations arise throughout your day that leave you scratching your head thinking “Why did I react that way?” or “I wish I hadn’t said that!” It is in these moments that I wish I had a button I could press and go back to the beginning of the situation and start fresh.
I wish I had a reset button.
Imagine for a moment that you are in the break room at work and your co-workers are engaged in a conversation that is ‘slightly’ off color and inappropriate for the professional office environment. The jokes are amusing, the stories are captivating and everyone is taking their turn adding to the conversation when the comments become directed at another coworker who isn’t in the room at the time. You are faced with an option. Do you join the conversation and add to the mix your own inappropriate comment or do you excuse yourself and leave the break room to avoid the conversation?
Well, I am embarrassed to say that I was faced with this situation a couple of years ago and chose to jump right in on the conversation, adding comments about my co-worker that were mean, rude and highly offensive. Everyone in the room was laughing which encouraged me to continue my insensitive comedy routine. I was dominating the conversation as if I was performing stand-up comedy at a night club. This went on for a few minute and then the laughter stopped. My break room audience’s faces were plastered with looks of shame. Unbeknown to me the person that was the object of my jokes had walked up behind me and heard a great deal of what I was saying. It was right then that I wished I had a reset button that I could press and go back to the beginning and make a different decision. But no such reset button exists.
My coworker’s feelings were hurt and she left the room in tears. I tried to apologize but the damage was already done. No amount of apologizing could help the situation or improve the relationship I had with this coworker from that point on. In fact, in one 10-minute conversation I tarnished my reputation with everyone that was in the break room that day plus all the other people in the workplace that heard about my rude, insensitive comments. I am sure to this day that some of those people still view me as a jerk.
When carpenters are about to cut a piece of wood they often measure twice before making the cut. This prevents them from making unnecessary cuts that would make the wood useless, increase the cost by wasting material and delay the project by forcing them to perform the task twice. Slowing down and making sure their measurements are correct helps keep them on track. While at the time it might seem slower it saves time in the long run.
Since that incident in the break room, I have tried do a better job of thinking things through before I open my mouth. Much like a carpenter, I try to avoid making unnecessary cuts that do irreparable harm. After all the tongue is like a two edged sword that can damage people emotionally which often is worse than any physical pain that can be inflicted.
While I am not perfect at avoiding all inappropriate conversations or comments, I am much better at stopping myself before I say or do something that I cannot take back. I guess that is the next best thing to a reset button.
What about you? Have you been faced with a situation where you wish you had a reset button to start over?
Leave me a comment and share your story.
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Terry Ward 
