What do you do when you did something wrong? The following article by ExecuNet’s Robyn Greenspan brings up some great insights into the changing landscape of crisis management, specifically when is “sorry” not enough. I would like to contribute an additional point of view, as a communication specialist I work with how different words that may seam like the same thing actually mean something quite different. For example in the case of “I’m Sorry” vs. “I apologize,” In most instances “I’m Sorry” means “ I am sorry you feel that way” where “I apologize” means the person has take responsibility for their actions and is feeling repentant. The energy of these two approaches can be felt through the tone and the style of the media advisor/press release/web site content. You can definitely sense that the tone of I’m sorry is different and not as forthcoming as an “I apologize” type of approach. So when you are about to have a mea culpa moment reflect on which of these energetic versions you want to use. In fact using “I’m sorry” does have its place especially when it isn’t your fault at all. Regardless all of it affects your brand so think it through.
Is sorry a strategy?
Robyn Greenspan, Senior Editor, ExecuNet
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John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, is the latest apologist for his
role as an anonymous Internet user who posted negative messages about
competitor Wild Oats on financial stock forums. It may seem like a MySpace
prank at first — an impulsive action from a high schooler who didn't get a prom
date — but Mackey routinely posted on these message boards for eight years.
Mackey's actions were certainly opaque, and his apology seems to represent
transparency. But with a recent wave of public "sorries" from
visible figures — Paris Hilton, David Neeleman, Don Imus, Mel Gibson and a
growing list of politicians — these megawatt mea culpas may no longer suffice.
In many cases, the apology seems less about reprehensible actions and more
about "I'm sorry I got caught."
While the antics of drunken celebrities, corrupt politicians and greedy
corporate executives (Enron, Tyco, etc.) may not surprise us — and may
sometimes be expected — Mackey's actions are more disappointing. Whole Foods,
like Neeleman's JetBlue, are supposed to be the good guys — socially conscious,
friendly, customer-centric companies that care about their employees, the earth
and doing what's right.
They both issued very public apologies, but Neeleman's and Mackey's downfalls
are decidedly different. The former faced a customer service debacle while the
latter deliberately deceived stakeholders; Neeleman absorbed the blame for
issues where he may not have been directly responsible and Mackey's
consistently poor judgment put his company and — especially its brand — in
jeopardy.
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