Many of us never apologize in business. We say it’s not personal so there is no reason for this.
Alternatively, many of us are constantly apologizing because the customer is alway right.
But how do you effectively use the apology in business?
Is this a good or bad things? Does it show strength or weakness? When should we do it and when do we hold back? how should we do it? We have a series of experts to help us grapple with this:
Lauren Bloom is an attorney who speaks, writes and consults about business ethics and responsible litigation risk management. She is also the author of the award-winning book, The Art of the Apology – How to Apologize Effectively to Practically Anyone. She discusses to effectively apologize you need to:
1. Say you’re sorry – sincerely!
2. Take responsibility
3. Express appreciation
4. Make amends
5. Listen
6. Do better next time
John Kador is the author of over 10 business books on leadership, finance, careers, technology, and ethics. His latest book is Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust. He is also a speechwriter and a ghostwriter for Fortune 500 CEOs. John talked about that the effective apology has 5 elements: recognition, responsibility, remorse, restitution, and repetition and the worst things you can do when apologizing:
1. use the word IF
2. use the word BUT
3. emphasize what you INTENDED.
Jane Beddall practiced as an attorney and mediator for a number of years before founding Dovetail Resolutions, LLC. Dovetail Resolutions is a Connecticut-based mediation and consulting firm that helps businesses succeed – by preventing, reducing, and resolving destructive conflicts. We talked about:
1. Conflict is inevitable – destructive conflict is not.
2. Clarity can prevent conflicts.
3. Deal with conflicts sooner rather than later.
4. Proving that you are right isn’t necessarily winning.
I also interviewed a fellow Brandeis University Alumni, Noah Blumenthal who is one of the world’s top 100 minds in personal development, hero coach, and author of Be the Hero. Hero is such a great word in our culture beginning with Comic books but also so overused. We talked about:
1. What does it mean to be a hero at work? And why do we need them?
2. Is this just a matter of having a good attitude? Or is there something more to it?
3. Why do people become victims in their work?
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