The Art of the Apology

There is a saying that I’ve grown quite fond of but don’t remember where I heard it. It goes like this… “live in the impact and not the intention.” And this is where conflict often lies. We “intended” one thing, but the outcome or impact ended up differently. And for those of us who’ve gathered enough courage, our next step is to take action by making amends or “make up for wrongdoing” (Oxford Dictionary).

One of the most authentic ways to do this is through an apology. And like most things, true apologies are an art form. See below for considerations

• Genuine apologies never contain the words "if" or "but."

• Keep it simple and straight-forward then step back

• Acknowledgment any guilt and/or regret on your side, asking nothing in return

When was the last time you apologized to a team member?