How should you apologise to your employees for your blunder?

Photo credit: Guardian Liberty Voice

So, you messed up.

It is common to make mistakes at the fast-paced workplace where many decisions, big and small, are made rapidly on a daily basis. After all, your position as a leader is probably the result of a combination of successes and blunders (and your ability to turn blunders into opportunities). When a blunder occurs, take the chance to rectify the mistake as quickly as possible. Your first course of action should be to acknowledge and apologise.

As a leader, you should put down your pride and acknowledge the mistake by understanding what is at stake (reputation, trust, money, impact to employees and even legal consequences). Show your team that you are able to stand up and admit to the mistake when you are in the wrong. Here are a few things you should do when you apologise to your employees.

Be honest

This is not the time to be vague about the mistake. Be open in addressing what went wrong, the circumstances under which it happened, and do not try to pass the blame. Take responsibility for the mistake and apologise sincerely. Does it fix everything? Probably not. However, being honest about the mistake is the first step to start the reconciliation process.

Be sensitive

Consider the employees’ feelings by putting yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if your leader were to make the same mistake? Understanding and validating the emotions of those affected by your mistake will go a long way in repairing the damage.

Be questioned

There will be questions. Some of these questions will be tough and awkward.

However, you should not shy away from being questioned or even worse, challenge the questions. If you find some of the questions unreasonable, you should take some time to consider your response. When you respond, respond calmly, focus on the topic and the solution.

Be sincere

Find a solution to resolve your mistake and do so sincerely. You can suggest ways to fix the mistake or prevent it from happening again. However, do not over-promise as you will need to follow through with your solution.

If it is possible, set a timeline for the problem to be fully resolved with a clear action plan.

Be opportunistic but realistic

Turn the mistake into an opportunity. Is there a chance to do things better in future? How can your team bond after this trial?

As you learn from the mistake and move on from it, be mindful that certain emotions can be hard to overcome. Therefore, be realistic about the recovery process. Give your employees and yourself time to heal. Do not assume that everything will be back to normal after you apologise and offer the fix. Follow through with your promise and show results.