Can You Be Too Apologetic?

by Kori Rodley Irons | More from this Blogger

30 Jul 2007 07:14 PM

I have written lately about how we naturally make mistakes as we go through life--particularly as they pertain to our home-based businesses. It got me to thinking about making apologies and amends and I remembered learning years ago that in the workplace one should only apologize once for a mistake, attempt to fix it, and then move on. I wondered if this "rule" still works when applied to our home businesses?

It is one thing to own up to mistakes and make every attempt to make things right. It is quite another to be so apologetic as to appear weak and unable to bounce back from setbacks. We have all known those people (sometimes they have been colleagues and coworkers) who apologized for everything--started off conversations with apologies and seemed to be apologize for everything from the weather to other people's mistakes. These sorts of people don't exactly instill confidence in those around them. It is hard not to feel irritation and resentment with someone who is constantly apologizing. It can also put the other person in the position of feeling like he has to make the mistake-maker feel better.

Besides, the common belief is that by focusing too much on the apology, we keep the focus on the mistake instead of on our ability to fix it and move on. Of course, some mistakes cannot be fixed, but we can adjust and do whatever we can before getting on to the next business challenge. So, I think we CAN be too apologetic. Remorse is good, acknowledging our role in making a blunder is good, but too much focus on repeated apology is neither helpful nor productive. In order to build confidence and boost our reputation, we need to focus on what we do well and how gracefully we recover when we do make those inevitable mistakes.

Also: Are You Solving Other People's Problems Instead of Your Own?

The Fear of Making Mistakes

So You Messed Up, Now What?

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