Czaro Strategic Communications

“When does it pay for people in the public eye to openly apologize for their mea culpas and when is it better to keep their mouths shut?”

That was an interesting question posed to me by a reporter working on a story about when public groveling is called for and how effective it is in repairing the damage. She asked for my take as a strategic communications consultant, which I shared. Here’s a summary of my comments:

Apologizing in public is not easy – especially for public figures. It’s humbling and can even be embarrassing at times. The more severe the injury, the more important the apology is to resolve the conflict.

If public figures are in legal trouble and facing significant jail time, their lawyers usually caution them against saying anything publicly, especially anything that remotely resembles an apology. If they do decide to speak, they often make themselves out to be the victim. It depends on the transgression, but this usually doesn’t work.

Public figures should ask for forgiveness from those they have harmed, wronged or disappointed when it is necessary to restore their image and reputation. There’s a saying that “It’s always better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.” That’s true, but only if you follow the steps to a successful apology. These tips are universal – they work if you’re addressing your constituents or your spouse.

• Be everyman/woman. It’s important to connect with your audience and demonstrate that you’re just like them. Whether the apology is written or spoken, careful attention must be paid to tone, inflection and word selection. You don’t want to come across as pompous, angry or inconvenienced.
• Ask for forgiveness. Sincerity is the No. 1 requirement for a successful apology. It’s more than just saving face or “getting it over with.” Instead it’s about showing that you are genuinely sorry. If you speak from the heart and mean it, you’ll be believable.
• Open up. Talk about what you did wrong. Describe how sorry you are and reiterate how much you want to salvage the relationship and regain their trust.
• Be specific. Generic apologies don’t carry much weight. The offended party wants you to state what you did wrong. You can’t do that with a blanket apology.

Just like in a crisis situation, you have a limited amount of time to make your apology. It needs to be far enough away from the incident that you have had time to contemplate the results of your actions. The mea culpa can’t be so far from the incident that you allow public sentiment to build or it will appear as though you really don’t care.

The next time you make a mistake – suck it up and apologize. You might even come out ahead in the long run.