5 Templates That'll Make Saying “I'm Sorry” So Much Easier

In order for an apology to be effective, it needs to be done right. ... I made a mistake on the 'B' Case. ... I'm sorry for my oversight. JobSearchFindingaJobResumesResumeExamplesCoverLettersNetworkingInterviewingJobOfferViewallinJobSearch>CareerPathsExploringCareersCareersinDataandAnalyticsCareersinFinanceCareersinMarketingCareersinSalesCareersinSoftwareEngineeringCareerStoriesCareerChangeTrainingandDevelopmentViewallinCareerPaths>SucceedingatWorkWorkandCOVID-19ProductivityGettingAheadWorkRelationshipsWork-LifeBalanceWorkingParentsRemoteWorkMoneyChangingJobsManagementBreakRoomViewallinSucceedingatWork>DiversityandInclusionAnti-RacismatWorkLGBTQatWorkDisabilityandWorkGenderandWorkViewallinDiversityandInclusion>MoreVideosJobSearchVideosCareerAdviceVideosCareerStoryVideosCompanySpotlightVideosIndustrySpotlightVideosEmployerResourcesWorkRelationships5TemplatesThat'llMakeSaying"I'mSorry"SoMuchEasierbyKamaraToffoloShutterstockNomatterwhereyouworkorwhatyoudo,you’reeventuallygoingtohavetoapologizetosomeoneforsomething.That’safactoflife.Inaworkplacefilledwithhumans,youwillinvariablyrunintoavarietyofsituationswherefeelingsgethurt.Asit’snotreallyfeasible—ormature—totakeaduck-and-coverapproachwhenthingsgetheatedattheoffice,youneedtobeequippedwiththerightwordstotactfullyaddressless-than-comfortablesituations.Inorderforanapologytobeeffective,itneedstobedoneright.Expertsagreethatthebestonesincludeacknowledgementandunderstandingofwhathappenedandthedamagedone.Youshouldalsorecognizeyourrole,takeresponsibilityforit,andcommunicateregret.Whatyoushouldomitareanyjustificationsandthewords“if”or“but.”So,“I’msorryifIhurtyourfeelingsduringthemeeting,”or“I’msorrywemadeanerrorbutyouknewwewereshort-staffed”isnotmakingupanyground.Nowthatyouknowthebasics,herearescriptsforthemostcommonworkplaceapologies:1.YouMadeaMistakeThatYouCan’tFixYourselfYou’rehuman,soyouscreweduponsomethingcomplex(think:green-lightingsomethingyoudidn’tactuallyhavetheauthoritytoOK).Yourealizethatyoudon’thavetheskillstofixitonyourown,andtheonlyoptionyouhaveistoadmitthistoyoursupervisorandaskhertopullsomestringsandhelpyouout.Thisapologyshouldbetimely(sinceyouneedhelpfixingtheerror—fast),andopentoacceptingresponsibility.Inaddition,itshouldincludeanassurancethatitwon’thappenagain.TryImadeamistakeonthe‘B’Case.IthoughtIwastakinginitiative,butIcanseenowthatIshouldhaverunmyactionsbyyoufirst.I’msosorryanditwon’thappenagain.However,inordertofixit,I’llneedyourhelp.When’sthebesttimeforustodiscuss?2.YouPromisedSomethingImpossibletoaClientYou’realwaysstrivingtoexceedyourclients’expectations.Yougoaboveandbeyond,promisingtogivethemeverythingtheirheartsdesire.Thisworkswell—untilyourealizethatsomethingyouguaranteedthemsimplycannotbedone.Ifyou’repartofateam—evenifyou’vebeenrunninglead—shareyourmistakewithyourcolleaguesoryourboss.Theymaynotbeabletohelpyou,butattheveryleast,theyshouldknowwhat’sgoingon.Then,comepreparedwithasolutionforwhenyoubreakthenews.Ifyou’regoingtotellaclientyoucan’tdosomething,youwanttobepreparedtosharewhatyoucandoinstead.GoWithUnfortunately,I’munabletoprovideyouwith[whatIpromisedyou].I’msorryformyoversight.Isaidyesoutofenthusiasmandadesiretogiveyouexactlywhatyouwanted,butIshouldhavecheckedwithourresources/budget/bandwidthbeforesayingitcouldbedone.Here’swhatIcanofferyouinstead...3.YouOffendedSomeoneYouandyourco-workerwerehavingaconversationaboutsomething,itgotheated,andyousaidsomethingthatoffendedher.Youprobablydidn’tmeanit—ormaybeyoudid—butnowyourealizeinordertokeepthepeaceattheoffice,youneedtosmooththingsover.Don’tfocusonwhatcausedyoutospeakout(seejustification,above),justfocusonthefactthatyoutrulyregretsayingit.StartHereIrealizethatwhatIsaidearlierwasoffensive.Iwaswrongtospeaktoyoulikethat,itwasunprofessional,andIamtrulysorry.Iwillworkonkeepingmycoolintensesituations.Note:TheaboveapologyworksifyoutoldsomeoneyouthinkhissloganwillbeaspopularasNewCoke.Itdoesnotapplyifyousaidsomethingracist,sexist,bigoted—thelistgoesonandon,butIknowyouknowthatkindofbehaviorcan’tbefixedwithanapologytemplate.4.You’retheBearerofBadNewsNoonewantstodeliverbadnews.Itcanbeespeciallyfrustratingwhenit’ssomethingthatiscompletelyoutofyourcontrol,ortheresultofadifficultcall.Butifyou’reinaleadershipposition,thiswillhappen—alot.Ifindthistypeofapologytobealittletrickierthantheothersbecauseit’snotsomethingyouare100%responsiblefor.Butthebestthingtodoistogettothepointquickly,soastominimizethepaininflictedonthosereceivingthe(less-than-desirable)update.CheckThisDespitemybestefforts,I’msorrytotellyouthatyourpromotion/raise/vacation/projectwasdenied.Thereasonwasbecauseofbudgetcuts/staffing/currentpriorities.Pleasedon’tletthisdiscourageyou.Wetrulyvalueyourcontributiontotheteamandwilltrytofindawaytoshowyoujusthowmuch.5.YouForgotaTaskForwhateverreason,youcompletelyblankedonfinishingaprojectbythedeadline.Tomakemattersworse,yourbossfoundoutbeforeyouhadachancetoscrambleandgetitdone.Heisnothappy!So,it’simportantthatyourapologyshowsyou’renotmakingexcusesandyou’reprovidingaconcretetimeforwhenyouwillbefinished.FacetheMusicWithI’msorryformissingthedeadlineonProjectX.Irealizethatmyerrorreflectspoorlyontheteam.Icancompletemyportionoftheworkbytheendofthedaytomorrow.WillthatbeOK,orwouldyouliketoseewhatIhaveindraftform?Havingtoapologizeisneverfun,butit’softennecessaryinordertoforge,repair,andstrengthenrelationshipsintheworkplace.So,beauthentic,sincere,anddiscusswhatyoumightdodifferentlythenexttime,becauseagoodapologycangoalongway.KamaraToffoloisaCareerandLeadershipCoachwhohelpsherclientsDAREtodoworkdifferently.InadditiontowritingfortheMuse,Kamarawritesweeklyonherownblogwhereshediscussescareerandworkfit,passionandpurposeandsharesfunnyanecdotesfromhertimeinthecorporateworld.FollowhermusingsonTwitter,Google+,LinkedInandFacebook.MorefromKamaraToffolo