Why is it so hard to say, “I am sorry”? Athletes and politicians in particular say things like “Mistakes were made.” Really, and would the mistake happen to have been made by YOU????? Do you think not taking responsibility makes it go away? Say you are sorry.
There is a wonderful article in the New York Times, July 26, 2015, Business Section, that should be required reading in every business school and possibly every Vistage group in the US. Here is the link: How sorry saved the family business.
This is a case study of an apology and much more. Step 2 was how the company worked to repair the damage caused by the breach of trust. That is the bigger issue. When you damage trust, an apology is just the beginning. What do you need to do to earn back the trust, if you can earn back the trust?
Americans love redemption. We all fail and most of us know we fail. We will forgive you when you fail if you stand up and acknowledge it.Step one is to admit what you did and say you are sorry. Acknowledge the damage you did to others, NOT yourself. Then, you must lay out a plan to earn back the trust and do everything, yes everything, that you said you would do. It can take a long time to win it back.
Let’s say you did 90% of it and then blew it. Go back to step one. Apologize. Lay out a plan. Work the plan. Remember that good intentions count for a lot. Great execution makes up the rest.
picture courtesy of pinkporchlife.com