Say Sorry The Right Way
Drop your defenses.
"Our automatic set point is to listen defensively," Lerner explains. "We listen for what we don't agree with, so we can defend ourselves and correct the facts." She suggests keeping an open mind and listening with an explicit intention to understand the other person. "Try to wrap your brain around the essence of what that hurt party needs you to get."
Be real.
When you're apologizing for something, it's critical to show genuine sorrow and remorse. It feels vulnerable to not be in control of the outcome, but as Lerner reminds us, it is also courageous.
No ifs or buts.
A sincere apology does not include caveats or qualifiers. "'But' almost always signifies a rationalization, a criticism, or an excuse," Lerner says. "It doesn't matter if what you say after the 'but' is true, the 'but' makes your apology false."
Less is more.
Keep your apology short and mind the histrionics. "If you've forgotten to return your friend's Tupperware, you don't have to overdo it as if you've run over her kitten." Over-apologizing is not only irritating — it disrupts the flow of the conversation and shifts the focus away from the person who needs to be attended to, Lerner explains. "You've hijacked the hurt party's emotionality and made the apology about you."
Stay focused.
Your attention when apologizing should be on the impact of your words or deeds, not on your intention. Zero in on the situation at hand and stay attuned to the needs of the person who is hurting. "It's not the two words 'I'm sorry' that heal the injury," Lerner explains. "The hurt party wants to know that we really get it, that we validate their feelings and care."
And remember: A good apology is a beginning, not an end.
In her book Why Won't You Apologize, Lerner reminds us, "An apology isn't the only chance you ever get to address the underlying issue. The apology is the chance you get to establish the ground for future communication."
An apology creates an opening. When done with attention and care, it can be a conduit for greater understanding and deeper connection.
