1044 – Issuing a Public Apology
Working in public relations, I often have to deal with my clients’ gaffes and blunders. My job is to calm any firestorm before it gets out of hand.
One of the most important things to do whenever there’s been a misstep is to issue a public apology. An apology should say plainly and clearly that the individual or company is sorry and that it takes responsibility for its actions. If possible, the apology should outline corrective actions that will be taken. The key is to come clean, apologize, and take the blame, and to do so quickly and without hesitation.
I give my clients this advice every time they land themselves in a mess, but do they listen to me? The smarts ones do.
And the others? Many of them are still trying to salvage their reputations and to bounce back. And me? I try very hard not to say, “I told you so.”