In business you can’t get anything done alone, but working with others you open yourself to the possibility that their mistakes will trip you up and imperil the project you’re working on. So assuming you aren’t a novelist writing alone in a garret and humans will continue to be fallible creatures, how can you protect yourself from feeling the fall-out from your colleagues’ foul ups?

On the Harvard Business Review Best Practices blog recently, Amy Gallo offered a five step plan of attack for handing an error-prone co-worker who is in dangerous of sinking your own reputation:

Diagnose the Issue — Understand what’s really going on. Try to determine if the problem is short-term, such as a personal issue at home, a particularly heavy workload, or a health problem — or long-term, such as a lack of skill or a poor cultural fit with the organization… This diagnosis can be done by looking for corroborating evidence from other colleagues. (Translation: ask around, discreetly.) Approach Your Colleague Directly — The best approach is to go to the source. This conversation should take place in an informal, private setting…. Don’t accuse or blame your colleague. Use concrete examples to explain what you are seeing and its impact on you. Use an inquiry mode and ask questions like “What’s going on?” and “Am I misreading or misunderstanding the situation?” Offer Help and Support — If a short-term issue is causing the mistakes, you should offer to help. You may even consider covering for the person as a way to build a positive relationship…. If you find that the source of the mistakes is a longer term issue, such as a lack of skill, you can offer to help brainstorm solutions. Perhaps your colleague can find a course that will help her build up her skills. By being generous now, you are incurring the obligation of your colleague to help you in the future. Protect Yourself — Make your work visible. Avoid bragging. Use the active voice instead of the passive voice. Offer to lead a presentation when joint work is being shared. Take credit where credit is due… showcase your involvement or let your manager know exactly what part of the project is the result of your efforts. When the Issue Continues – Despite all your efforts, it is possible that the mistakes will continue. This isn’t only an inconvenience, it could hinder your career. If possible, avoid working with that person in the future. Also, you should consider approaching your manager. Explain what you’ve done to date and ask for her advice. Be clear you are not asking her to intervene. Things would need to be very serious, e.g. the project you’re working on is headed for failure, before you approach your colleague’s manager.

For two case studies of this approach in action, as well as more expert commentary on this common work problem, check out the complete HBR post

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