Source: fotostorm / Getty
Everybody screws up once in a while, and good people know how to apologize when they do.
According to Newser,
Scientists have figured out what really goes into an effective apology. Published in the journal Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, Ohio University researchers broke down effective apologies into six basic elements: 1) expressing regret, 2) explaining what went wrong, 3) acknowledging responsibility, 4) declaring independence, 5) offering to repair, and 6) asking forgiveness. A group of several hundred adults were asked to evaluate a hypothetical apology and concluded that squeezing all six elements into one apology offers one the greatest chance of being forgiven. Study leaders say the most important component of an apology is acknowledgement of responsibility, and add, “One concern about apologies is that talk is cheap. But by saying, ‘I’ll fix what is wrong’ you’re committing to take action and undo the damage.”
Looks like I’ve been apologizing the right way all along!
