I’m sorry. I forgot.
If you find yourself saying, “I’m sorry, I forgot” more often than you would like, it's essential to understand that forgetfulness can cause significant problems for supervisors. There are many causes of forgetfulness in the workplace. There may be cognitive and mental load issues (too much multitasking, information overload, or too many distractions). There may be physical and mental health issues, including stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition and hydration, or even burnout. There could be organizational causes, including a lack of routine, poor task management or prioritization, or inefficient communication. And finally, the one we joke about until it happens to us, normal cognitive aging, where mild forgetfulness is normal but can worsen under stress or when multitasking.
Regardless of the causes, a supervisor’s forgetfulness can cause problems at work, including:
Damaged trust and credibility: Failing to keep promises, deadlines, or commitments (e.g., “I’ll get back to you”) can make employees feel disrespected or unimportant. Employees may stop trusting a supervisor’s word (and may not accept the excuse that they forgot). A forgotten commitment can feel like a broken promise.
Missed deadlines or delays: Forgetting tasks, approvals, or follow-ups can cause delays in work, projects, or decisions, especially when a supervisor’s forgotten but necessary input creates a bottleneck.
Poor employee morale: Forgetting names, details, achievements, or challenges can make employees feel invisible or unappreciated. A supervisor’s forgetfulness may result in employees feeling like the supervisor is not paying attention or just does not care.
Performance management failures: Forgetting to address performance issues or provide timely feedback allows problems to grow unchecked, or leads to unfair, unexpected criticisms.
Disorganization: Forgetting meetings, documents, or key details can lead to a sense of chaos, especially when others are relying on the supervisor’s direction.
Inconsistent supervision: Forgetting past decisions or instructions results in inconsistency and confusion.
If you are dealing with your own repeated forgetfulness at work, consider the following strategies for reducing your forgetfulness:
Improve attention and focus: Avoid multitasking, which can impair memory formation. Consciously focus on tasks and instructions, especially when receiving new information. Please pay special attention when the information involves your employees and things that are important to them.
Reduce distractions: Minimize interruptions and create a focused environment for essential tasks.
Utilize memory aids: Keep to-do lists, prioritize tasks, and use a planner or notebook to record important information and deadlines. If it’s worth remembering, it is worth recording. Use your calendar not just for meetings, but also to block time for tasks, check-ins, and prep work. Set reminders on your phone or Google calendar for important meetings, appointments, and tasks.
Follow the “Two-Minute Rule”: If something takes less than 2 minutes to do, do it right away—don't risk forgetting it later.
Use visual aids: Sticky notes, whiteboards, or digital dashboards in your workspace can act as constant reminders of high-priority tasks or goals.
Create routines and systems: Standardize how you respond to specific tasks (e.g., all requests go into one inbox or task list) so fewer things slip through the cracks.
Sleep, nutrition, and stress management: Cognitive function suffers when there is insufficient sleep, hydration, or mental rest. Chronic stress can make forgetfulness worse. Take care of yourself. It will help your memory.
TIP: If you are dealing with your own repeated forgetfulness, find a way to manage it before it starts creating job performance issues for you, including a loss of trust from those you supervise.