If an administrator makes a serious mistake in the details of an order issued to the staff, he or she should:

• A. not attempt to correct it, because the workers will lose respect for him
• B. correct it in order to show he or she isn't small about such matters
• C. not attempt to correct it, because the workers will eventually correct the error themselves
• D. correct it in order to avoid any costly errors which might result otherwise

Answer: (D)

When an administrator discovers a serious mistake in an order, the priority is to fix it to prevent downstream problems. Correcting the order promptly reduces the risk of misinstructing staff, wasted resources, rework, or safety or compliance issues that could arise if the error goes unaddressed. This approach shows responsibility and commitment to accuracy, which helps maintain trust and smooth operations among the team.

Letting the error stand leads to confusion and potential costly mistakes as staff act on incorrect details. Simply trying to correct it to prove a point about leadership misses the practical purpose—preventing harm and inefficiency. Relying on staff to fix it themselves is unreliable and can leave the organization exposed to the same or new mistakes. So, addressing the error directly to avoid costly consequences is the sound choice.