Essential Components of a Scientifically Perfect Apology
Just saying “I’m sorry” isn’t always enough. A worthy excuse should address several aspects of your wrongdoing. According to recent research, there are six components you need to cover if you want to craft the perfect apology, and some are more important than others.
Research by Roy Levitzky , emeritus professor of management and human resources at Ohio State University ‘s Fisher College of Business , and published in Negotiation and Conflict Management Research suggests that the most effective apology contains the following six elements:
- Expression of regret
- An explanation of what went wrong
- Recognition of responsibility
- Declaration of repentance
- Renovation proposal
- Asking for forgiveness
These elements aren’t overly surprising ( we’ve even talked about some of them before ), but research also suggests that some of these elements actually carry more weight than others. The most important element of an effective apology is acknowledging your responsibility, Levicki said . If you are to blame for something, say that it is. The second most important element, according to Levicki, is your proposal for renovation. If you say you want to fix something and explain how to do it, your apology goes much further. The least effective element was asking for forgiveness. If there is anything you are missing out on apologizing, do so.
Researching the Structure of Effective Apologies | Negotiation and Conflict Management Research through Ohio State University