If you work in a corporate environment on planet Earth, then you are surrounded by human beings that sometimes make mistakes. Yet over the years I am surprised when I run across a Leader that actually apologizes when they make a mistake.\\\
Whether it is a bad assumption, a misread of a situation, a forgotten promise or a false accusation it is rare at best to ever hear a genuine apology coming out of the mouth of a senior leader. There might be a lot of explanations and finger pointing but hardly ever do you hear “I’m Sorry” slipping over their lips in your direction.
Where most leaders feel that admitting fault and apologizing somehow diminishes their stature, it is often the reverse that results from a simple gesture of being humble. We all make mistakes, so admit it and say you are sorry if any of the responsibility lies in your chain of command.
A recent event took place where a manager overstepped in a performance management task by taking a different approach than company culture would dictate. It was also during a time when the HR Director wasn’t on top of her game either and overlooked the errors. So the effected employee didn’t bother to complain because they didn’t want to make waves. Four months later a Senior Leader discovered the situation and rather than apologize and seek some kind of forgiveness, they pointed fingers that several people didn’t live up to our standards.
When I heard this story, knowing the senior leader, I was disappointed in her behavior. It was so out of character because I have always seen her as a Servant Leader, and one that would have no problem with a simple apology to begin cleaning up the mess.
What are we so afraid of if we apologize? When have you been owed an apology by a leader that you are still waiting on hearing back?
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