The Grammar Girl podcast did a great show this week on how to write an apology. For a while now, I’ve been meaning to write a post about making tough apologies, so I thought I’d piggyback on Grammar Girl’s discussion. The show advised listeners to avoid four kinds of non-apologies (the “if” apology, the passive voice apology, the reverse apology, and the florid fauxpology) and to follow a formula for apologizing effectively:
- Acknowledge the offense clearly
- Explain it effectively
- Restore the offended parties’ dignity
- Assure them they’re safe from a repeat offense
- Express shame and humility
- Make appropriate reparation
(Credit to Dr. Aaron Lazare and his book On Apology.)