01/29/2019
Owning Your Apology: A well-executed apology includes claiming the result the behavior caused, naming the behavior and offering to hear how what you did affected the other person as soon as you realize you owe someone an apology. If an apology is approached with sincerity and empathy for the pain that was caused without avoiding accountability, the precise words may be less important than the spirit of the message. Apologizing for things you wish you could take back is a way of demonstrating integrity and doing it right away keeps the hurt from having time to settle in and take hold.
A genuine apology names the offending action and claims the pain it caused. It is made without delay, does not demand forgiveness, and offers correction.