When you were wrong.
WHAT A GOOD APOLOGY CONTAINS
What happened That it should not have The effect on them, acknowledged What you are doing What prevents recurrence
WHAT IT DOES NOT CONTAIN
Excuses Blame elsewhere Conditional wording
WHAT CONDITIONAL WORDING SOUNDS LIKE
Regret that they feel a certain way, rather than regret for what was done.
WHY IT FAILS
It is recognised immediately, and it compounds the offence.
HOW MANY TIMES TO APOLOGISE
Once, clearly.
WHY ONCE
Repetition becomes filler and dilutes it.
WHAT TO SPEND THE REST ON
The remedy.
WHAT TO AVOID
Explaining at length why it happened.
WHY
It reads as justification.
WHEN EXPLANATION HELPS
When it demonstrates the cause is addressed.
HOW MUCH
A sentence.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT SOMETHING NOT YOUR FAULT
Express regret for the situation without accepting blame.
WHY THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS
Accepting fault that is not yours creates precedent and exposure.
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Apologise for something you will do again.
WHY
It teaches that your apologies mean nothing.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Explain why it will continue, or change it.
WHAT TO FOLLOW UP WITH
Evidence that the remedy happened.
