The Participation Blog

Sorry is Still the Hardest Word

The power of an apology can’t be dismissed. When people feel like they’ve been mistreated, nothing less than an apology by the perpetrator will suffice – if you want some kind of decent relationship with the mistreated. But it’s incredibly difficult for ego driven people to accept or do it. Their excuses are endless but sometimes claimed as the legal liability of admitting guilt. An apology is, in fact, a willingness to accept responsibility, not necessarily an admission of guilt and legal liability. Smart communicators know how to handle the nuances. Recently, I’ve had people wondering whether or not it might be beneficial, or even ethical, to apologize for something that they haven’t actually done. Interesting question – consider this.

‘I’m sorry, I did it, and I can only imagine how much that must have hurt you.’