How to Apologize for a Mistake Professionally (With Examples)

How to apologize for a mistake at work · 1. Apologize soon after the incident · 2. Decide how you'll apologize · 3. Address your recipient by name. 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CareerDevelopmentHowtoApologizeforaMistakeProfessionally(WithExamples)February22,2021ShareFacebookEmailLinkedInTwitterBothconflictandmistakesarecommonoccurrencesinmanyworkplaces.Inordertogobacktothesameworkingrelationshipyouoncehadwiththoseyouworkwith,itmaybenecessarytoapologizeforyourmistakesorcertainactions.Eventhoughyou'reinaprofessionalsetting,theactofofferinganapologycanhelpyoushowyouracknowledgmentofanissueandyourattemptstocorrectit.Inthisarticle,weexplainwhyit'simportanttoapologizeandwhatmayhappenifyoudon'tapologizeatwork,describehowyoucanapologizeforyourprofessionalmistakes,providesomeexamplesofemailandin-personapologiesandsharesometipsoneffectivelyapologizingatwork.Whyisitimportanttoapologize?Youmayendupinasituationatworkthatwarrantsanapologyfromyoutosomeoneelse,likeifyou'relateforwork,missanimportantdeadlineordisplayuncharacteristicbehavior.It'simportanttoapologizeforyouractionsforseveralreasons,including:Itshowsthatyouacknowledgeyouractions.Inadditiontoshowingyouacknowledgeyourpartinasituation,youalsoacknowledgehowyouractionscouldhaveaffectedthoseyouworkwith.Forexample,ifyouapologizeforyourtardiness,you'reacknowledgingthatyouwerelatetowork,butyou'realsoshowingyourcoworkersyouunderstandhowyourcomingtoworklatecandirectlyaffecttheprojectsyou'reworkingontogether.Apologieshelprebuildtrust.Certainactionscanbreaktrustamongcoworkers,butyourapologycanhelpimprovethesituationandhelpyourcoworkertrustyouagain.Whencolleaguestrusteachother,theyareusuallymoreproductive,creative,team-orientatedandcollaborative,whichhelpsimprovetheentireworkplace.Apologizingmaydecreaseworkplacestress.Ifknowingthatyou'veupsetsomeoneelsehascausedyoustress,thenapologizingmayeaseanynegativefeelings.Especiallyifyourcoworkerormanageracceptsyoursincereapology,youmayfeelmoreconfidentthatyoucancontinueyourworkplacerelationshipasitwasbeforetheincident.Apologizingcaneaseconflictandensureaproductiveworkenvironment.Itimprovescommunication.Whenyou'reabletoapologizetoothersintheworkplace,communicationislikelytoimprove.Allpartiescanbetterunderstandeachotherandbemoreopentocommunicatingaboutfutureissues.Whatcanhappenifyoudon'tapologize?Apologiesareimportantbecausewithoutthem,therearesomethingsthatcanhappen,including:Poorrelationships:Ifthereiswrongdoingintheofficethatgoeswithoutapology,youmightdamageanexistingworkingrelationshiporpreventonefromforming.However,providinganapologycanmakearelationshipevenstronger,allowingyoutoworkcohesivelywithyourcolleaguesandmanagers.Careerlimitations:Neglectingtoapologizeforyourmistakescanaffectyourcareeropportunities,asmanagementmayfinditdifficulttorecommendyouforpromotionsorevenlateralmovestoanotherdepartment.Apologizingshowsthatyourecognizeyourmistakesandwanttomakeasincereefforttocorrectthemandpreventthemfromhappeningagain.Theactionofapologizingshowsyourmanagementteamthatyoucantakeresponsibilityandworkwellwithothers.Incorrectimpressions:It'spossiblethatthoseyouworkwithwillhaveanincorrectimpressionofyouifyoudon'tapologizeforactionsthathaveaffectedsomeoneelse.However,ifyouexpressremorseforsomethingyou'vedone,anapologycanactuallyincreaseacoworker'simpressionofyouandmakethemhappierandmoreexcitedtoworkalongsideyou.Related:HowtoReacttoMistakesatWorkHowtoapologizeforamistakeatworkFollowthesestepstodeliveraneffectiveapologytosomeoneyouworkwith:1.ApologizesoonaftertheincidentAnapologythatcomessoonafteranincidentcanlettheotherpartyknowyouregretyouractions,andcanhopefullyhelpyoucontinueyourworkingrelationshipwithoutfurtherincidence.However,sometimesitmaybebesttowaitalittlelongertoissueanapology,likeinthecaseofalargerescalation.Assessthesituationandseeifallinvolvedpartieswouldbebestoffhavingthespaceandopportunitytoprocessthesituationbeforedecidingwhentoapologize.2.Decidehowyou'llapologizeWhatyou'reapologizingforcandetermineifit'smostappropriatetoapologizeinpersonorifanemailoralternativemethodwouldsuffice.Forlargertransgressions,likeifyoumissedanimportantclientmeeting,considerapologizingtoyourprojectpartnerinperson.However,ifyou'reapologizingforbeingslightlylateonetime,thenit'slikelyappropriatetoapologizeviaemail.Considerjustaquicknoteofapologysothatyourmanagerknowsyourecognizeyourerrorandresolvetopreventitfromhappeningagain.3.AddressyourrecipientbynameIt'srespectfultoaddressthepersonyou'reapologizingtobyname,whethertheyareacoworker,manager,clientorcustomer.Thisaddssinceritytowhatyou'resaying.Youaddressingthembynameshowsthemyou'reconsideringhowyouractionsaffectedthemdirectlyandpersonally.4.ApologizewithsincerityIfyouaren'tsincerewithyourapology,itmaybebesttoengageinanopenconversationwiththeotherpersonaboutthesituationinstead.Thiscanhelpbothofyouunderstandeachotherbetter,andyoumaydiscoverthatthesituationdoeswarrantanapologyfromyouafterall.Aninsincereapologycansendthewrongimpressiontotheotherperson,whichcandamageyourworkingrelationship.However,tryreflectingonthesituationandconsideringtheotherperson'sfeelings.Thinkthroughiftheyarevalidandhowyouractionsmayhaveinadvertentlyaffectedthemortheirwork.Ifyoucanacknowledgeyourpartinthesituation,thenyoumaybeabletoofferasincereapologyaftersomethought.Related:HowtoTreatOtherswithRespectintheWorkplace5.ValidatehowtheotherpersonfeelsIt'simportanttovalidatehowtheotherpersonfeels.Evenifyoudon'tunderstandtheirexactpositioninthematter,acknowledgingtheirfeelingsandformingyourapologyinawaythatshowsthemyoubelievetheirfeelingstobevalidcanmakealargedifference.Ifpossible,includetheirfeelingsinyourapology.Forexample,youcansay,"Icompletelyunderstandhowmyactionsdisappointedyou."6.AdmittoyourresponsibilityAspartofyourapology,takeresponsibilityforyouractions.Refrainfrommakingexcuses,evenifyoubelievethemtobevalid.Whileyoumaywanttoexplainyourselfsotheotherpartyunderstandshowthissituationmayhavehappened,alsobesuretheyknowthatyou'reawareofandsorryforhowyouractionsaffectedothers.Beforeprovidingarationale,considerifyourreasoningwillmakeapositivedifferenceinyourprofessionalrelationship,orifbyexplainingyoucanavoidsimilarsituationsinthefuture.Ifso,explorehowyoucanincludethesedetailswithoutsoundinglikeyou'remakingupexcusesorbeingdefensive.7.Explainhowyou'llcorrectthemistakeTomakethelargestimpactwithyourapology,haveaplanforhowyou'llcorrectthemistake.Thisshowsthatyouputsomethoughtintohowyoucanmakethingsright.Youcanalsoshareyourintentionsfornotallowingthesamemistaketohappenagain,althoughit'simportantthatyou'rerealisticaboutthispromise.Forexample,itmaynotberealistictotellyourmanageryou'llneverbelateagain.Therecouldbesituationscompletelyoutofyourcontrolthatcancontributetolateness.8.KeepyourpromisesOnceyou'vesharedhowyou'llcorrecttheproblem,keepyourpromises.Failingtofollowthroughonyourwordcannegatethepositivebenefitsofyourapologyandalsomakeitharderfortheotherpersontotrustyou.Ifyoudoeverythingyoupromisedyouwould,itreiteratesyoursincerityandshowsthatyou'recommittedtoacohesiveprofessionalrelationship.Related:StepstoHandleCriticismatWorkExamplesofprofessionalapologiesHerearesomeexamplesofapologiesyoucanuseasguidanceifyouneedtoofferanapologyprofessionally:Exampleofanin-personapologyYoumaychooseanin-personapologyifyouractionswerelargerandcausedmoreofaharmfuleffectintheworkplace.Considerthisapologythenexttimeyouwanttoapologizetosomeonein-person:"Hi,Janet.Iwantedtostopbyyourdesktoapologizeformybehavioryesterday.ImistakenlyallowedmypersonalfrustrationsfromoutsideofworktoaffecthowIapproachedothers.ItwasunacceptablebehaviorthatI'msincerelysorryfor.Iappreciateandrespectyouasacolleague,andwanttocontinuetohaveagoodworkingrelationship.Iknowmyactionssetthetoneforthemeetingandhurtyourfeelings.Ipromisethiswon'thappenagainbecauseI'mimmediatelycreatingapositivework-lifebalancetomakesureofit.Ihopeyou'llacceptmyapologyandthatyou'llbeabletocontinuetotrustmeasyourcoworker.IsthereanythingadditionalIcandotomakeituptoyou?"ExampleofaworkapologyemailIt'sacceptabletosendanapologyemailtosomeoneforsmallertransgressionsorwhenyou'reunabletomeetinperson.Considerthisexampleofanemailapology:"Subject:MyApologyDearBrandon,I'msendingthisemailbecauseIwanttoapologizetoyouformissingmydeadlineonourjointproject.Iunderstandhowthisisfrustrating,andItakefullresponsibilityfortheprojectbeingturnedinlate.IhavealsoletMr.Jonesknowthatit'smyfaultwewentpastourduedate,asIknowyoucouldn'tcompleteyourworkuntilIdidmine.PleaseknowthatI'mcommittedtopreventingthisfromhappeningagain.IpromiseI'lltakemyresponsibilitiesseriouslyandwillaimtocompletemypartofourfutureprojectsbeforetheduedate.Additionally,ifI'mstrugglingwithanyexpectations,includingtheduedate,I'lladdressitwithyouandMr.Jonesassoonaspossiblesowecanmakethenecessaryadjustmentsbeforeitbecomesanissue.Ivalueyouasateammateandhopewecanmovepastthisincident.I'mopentoanyfeedbackyoumayhaveforme.Sincerely,MelanieMalone"Related:CommonCommunicationBarriers(WithExamples)TipsforapologizingatworkHerearesometipsyoucanusewhenyouareapologizingtosomeoneatwork:Payspecialattentiontoyourbodylanguage.Eventhoughyourwordsaresincere,yourbodylanguagecansendadifferentmessage.Avoidcrossingyourarmsandmakesuretolooktheotherpersonintheeyeifyou'reapologizinginperson.Arelaxedyetprofessionalstancecanlettheotherpersonknowyou'reengagedintheconversationandmeanwhatyousay.Usethewords"I'msorry"or"Iapologize".Considerusingtheseexactwordssotheotherpersonknowsthepurposeofyourcommunication.Avoidsayingthingslike,"Ididn'tmeantomissthemeeting,"andinsteaduse,"Isincerelyapologizeformissingthemeeting."Apologizeprivately.Ifyou'reable,findaprivatespacewhereyoucangiveyourapologytotheotherperson.Consideranemptyconferenceroomorofficeorgoonawalkoutsidetogether.Privacyhelpseliminatedistractionssoyoucanhaveanopendialogueaboutthesituationandofferyourapologywithoutinterruptions.Focusonyourownactions.Evenifyouractionsareinresponsetoanotherperson's,it'sbesttoonlyfocusonyourownmistakeswhenissuinganapology.Trytoavoidstatementsthatcouldseemlikeyou'replacingblameonsomeoneelseforthesituation.ReadMoreHowToUseMindMappinginProjectManagementWhatIsaStrongTeam?(PlusHowToBuildOne)45Open-EndedQuestionsforSalesProfessionalsRelatedViewMore arrowrightTopJobCastsof2021Tocloseout2021,we'vecuratedalistofthemostpopularandhelpfulJobCastwebinarsthisyear.FAQ:DoINeedaMaster'sDegreeinComputerScience?Exploreanswerstofrequentlyaskedquestionsaboutearningamaster'sdegreeincomputerscience,includingwhetheryouneedoneandpotentialcareerpaths.