Few people enjoy giving apologies. Apologies allow us to build stronger, more trustworthy relationships with those around us. They also help us grow as professionals and in our roles as leaders. Instead of having to apologize for making a disingenuous apology, get it right the first time by avoiding these five mistakes:. Before you start an apology, make sure you sincerely believe you made the mistake and the desire to correct it comes from your heart, says Hanke.
Instead, own your mistake. Understand what you should have done differently and commit to making a change in the future, says Hanke.
Before you start to plan your apology, consider how the mistake impacted the individual, says Hanke. An apology can have several layers, as well as an element of risk, says Hanke. A big part of what you say should be explaining why you made the mistake and what you are going to do to resolve it.
In addition to choosing your words carefully, try to be as brief as possible. In her book, "The Power of an Apology," psychotherapist Beverly Engel says over-apologizing isn't so different from over-complimenting: You may think you're displaying yourself as a nice and caring person, but you're actually sending the message that you lack confidence and are ineffectual.
Don't cry wolf. If you say "I'm sorry" for every little thing now, your apologies will carry less weight later on — for situations that really warrant a sincere apology. We've all been around someone who constantly apologizes. We understand they're only trying to be nice, but it can often feel exhausting and irritating at the same time. A study published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology even found that saying "I'm sorry" when intentionally rejecting someone i. Choosing not to apologize may have psychological benefits, according to a study published in The European Journal of Social Psychology.
Researchers found that participants who refused to express remorse showed signs of "greater self-esteem, increased feelings of power or control and integrity.
If you want to start apologizing less frequently, it will simply take lots of effort and practice. Here are a few ways to do it:. The first step here is to assess your own behaviors and tendencies. Are you really someone who apologizes way too much? Knowing so will help you to carefully observe a situation before immediately blurting our the words "I'm sorry. If you couldn't control the situation or it was a trivial and honest mistake, there's no need to apologize.
But if you were really at fault, own up to it. Admitting you're wrong is never easy, but it can strengthen your relationships and show that have emotional intelligence. Flipping the script takes self-discipline, but over time, it'll begin to feel natural. We tend to misuse apologies. A sincere apology can go a long way. By owning our mistakes, we have the chance to rebuild trust, validate experiences and heal wounds.
But when we refuse to take ownership, we ignore the consequences of our actions and lessen the safety of the relationship, and ultimately, deepen the hurt. Some of us struggle to offer sincere apologies, so we make insincere non-apologies.
A non-apology can also come in the form of an action. A true apology is more than a statement. It has to be sincere, vulnerable and intentional. It would also involve modifying our future behaviors.
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