In “The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future,” CEO and business leader Skip Prichard uses interconnected parables to provide life lessons. On his blog, Prichard recently touted clinical psychologist Jennifer Thomas and counselor Gary Chapman for their analysis of what makes a proper apology.
Because mistakes are a fact of doing business, insights on what makes for an effective apology are priceless. Thomas
and Chapman identify these five categories of apology:
- Expressing regret – The recipient of an apology wants to know you truly understand how the mistake made them feel.
- Accepting responsibility – Enough said.
- Making amends – Often, in business, steps are necessary to make a customer whole.
- Revising the plan – What will be different moving forward?
- Requesting forgiveness – Make it clear you don’t assume absolution is automatic.
In apologies, the don’ts are as important as the do’s: Don’t apologize by text, and don’t use a defensive apology that shifts the blame.
