“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

—Ben Franklin, American Founding Father

Image from LinkedIN

Don’t ever add the word “But” to an apology. The act of making excuses or justifying your actions has you actually blaming the other person for your poor behavior rather than offering a genuine apology.

Here are a few suggestions to consider when apologizing:

• Beginning your apology with the words, “I’m Sorry,” or “I Apologize” expresses genuine remorse. Make sure you do this as soon as possible.
• Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and imagine how they felt. The ability to empathize with others makes it far easier to admit responsibility.
• Take action to make the situation right. You can ask the person you wronged what you could do, beyond your apology, to make things right.
• Promising that you won’t repeat the action or behavior helps rebuild trust in the relationship.

EXERCISE:

Examine a situation in which you can summon the courage to offer a sincere apology to someone who matters in your life, personally or professionally.

Feel free to reply to this post and let me know what happens.