Instead of Saying “I’m Sorry” At Work…

Some people use the phrase “I’m sorry” reflexively, even if they didn't really do anything wrong. In the workplace, this might make people think less of you, in addition to weakening the power of future heartfelt apologies. The habit itself may spring from insecurity, says Patrice Williams Lindo, CEO of the consulting firm Career Nomad. 

According to Lindo there are many viable and effective options to over-apologizing at work, for example:

• When You're Experiencing Technical Difficulties:  Regardless of how tech-savvy you are, glitches happen, and they’re rarely your fault. Instead of apologizing for issues out of your control, try, “I appreciate your patience.”
• If You Need to Join a Conversation:  There’s no need to say “sorry” for adding your point of view. Instead of apologizing, use phrases like “I’d love to add,” or “Here’s a different perspective.” These phrases help you contribute without sounding timid about doing so.
• If You’ve Made An Error:  We all make mistakes. If you've done something incorrectly or inadvertently offended someone, saying “I’m sorry” wouldn’t be wrong, but there might be even better options. Consider, “Thank you for your feedback”, ” I take full responsibility” or ,“Thank you for bringing that to my attention…how can I improve?”

When was the last time you apologized at work, and how did you do it? Any insights you can share? To join the conversation, click "comments" above. 

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