WEEK 8
“MAKING AN APOLOGY”
YOU DO:
Say “I’m sorry” without adding a “but”.
YOU DON’T:
Say, “I’m sorry I knocked into the table and broke your favorite piece of pottery, but you should have put it on a higher shelf if you liked it so much.” You day say, “I’m sorry I didn’t include you with the others, but I was in a hurry.” You don’t say, “I’m sorry I forgot to let the dog out, but I wanted to watch the end of the show and he should have let me know he needed to go out.”
WHY:
Adding an excuse to what you did or didn’t do means you are not taking responsibility for your actions, and that makes your apology pretty worthless.
YOU DO:
Say I’m sorry and_____” if you need to say more than “I’m Sorry” to make the situation right. “I’m sorry I was careless and broke the bowl. Can I help buy a new one?”
YOU DON’T:
Assume that “I’m sorry” is always enough to make amends.
WHY:
Because sometimes you need to back your words up with action.
- A lady doesn’t delay her apology hoping the situation will just go away. It won’t, and the sooner you say “I’m sorry,” the sooner everyone feels better.
- A lady doesn’t expect to be rewarded for saying “I’m Sorry” but is grateful when her apology is graciously accepted.
- A lady doesn’t assume an apology is the end of the situation, but she understands it’s the first step toward making things right.
