Thanks to butupa for the photo.

Think back to the last time you apologized to someone for a mistake you made. Consider your strategy for making that apology. Was it effective? Was the other person involved satisfied with how you handled the situation? An apology can be difficult to make; however, it is important to remember that an apology should be genuine and sincere. The effectiveness of an apology solely depends on the apologizer and how the apology is executed. In Effective apology: Mending fences, building bridges, and restoring trust, author John Kador wrote:

“An apology informed is good; an apology performed is better.”

I think that John Kador makes a valid point through his statement. It is better to take action to show the effectiveness of your apology as opposed to a simple apology through words. You can take action by committing to an apology you make and showing the other person that you are trustworthy.

In Public relation practices: Managerial case studies and problems, written by Allen H. Center and Patrick Jackson, one case study that I found to be intriguing in the organizations approach to an effective apology involved the American Chemistry Council. The chemical group was being scrutinized by the public for their lack of health and safety awareness in the work field. The organization apologized effectively by listening and recognizing the perceptions and fears of the public, owning up to any performance problems, and taking action to correct the problems. The American Chemistry Council encouraged open lines of communication between the organization and the public through an initiative known as Responsible Care®. The global initiative practiced currently in 53 national associations requires companies to be open and transparent with their stakeholders.

Next time you are put in a situation where you need to make an apology, stop and think about the effectiveness of how you present your apology. If your apology is not genuine or sincere, is it worth apologizing at all? Remember that an apology is more effective if action is taken. As the saying goes “actions speak louder than words.”

Thanks to JimmyMac210 for the photo.

Pepsi’s apology for its sexist iPhone application, “AMP UP Before You Score,” created quite a buzz in the social media world. Critics of the application have expressed their concerns about the half-hearted apology by PepsiCo and are indicating a plan to boycott Pepsi products. The application “AMP UP Before You Score” offers men pickup lines and background information for 24 types of women. It encourages men to make a list of women they have hooked up with and to brag about it on Twitter or Facebook.

Pepsi and AMP offered an apology over twitter on the tag #pepsifail; however, was their apology enough? AMPwhatsnext wrote:

Our app tried 2 show the humorous lengths guys go 2 pick up women. We apologize if it’s in bad taste & appreciate your feedback. #pepsifail

Apparently, several twitter followers did not find the application humorous.

Let’s evaluate the effectiveness of Pepsi’s apology according to Tom O Leary’s five steps to an effective apology. I think that his steps are a great way to determine the effectiveness of an apology.

First, was the apology genuine? In Pepsi’s case, Twitter followers were not impressed with the apology given by AMPwhatsnext. Many saw the apology as half-hearted and thought that PepsiCo did not seem interested in taking responsibility for their actions.

The second step suggests that it is not a good idea to try and justify your actions because it will only appear as if you are rambling on and not even apologizing. The apology made by Pepsi and AMP included the company trying to justify their actions rather than stating a clear apology.

The third step encourages those making the apology to commit to their apology and make a commitment to change. In the Twitter apology PepsiCo did not express how they are taking the necessary steps to change. They have encouraged people to respond to their apology; however, they did not state the changes being made to fix the problem.

The fourth step to an effective apology involves being aware of how you phrase your apology. The apology given by Pepsi and AMP did not seem well thought or sincere. According to Tom O Leary it is important to make sure that the other party involved clearly understands what you are apologizing for.

The fifth step to an effective apology is being prepared for the end result. Clearly PepsiCo did not realize that their sexist application would backfire and cause a heated debate with Twitter followers. After a week of criticism Pepsi decided to take down the application on iTunes.

“We have decided to discontinue the AMP iPhone application,” a Pepsi spokesman said in a statement. “We’ve listened to a variety of audiences and determined this was the most appropriate course of action.”

Follow the #pepsifail discussion on Twitter and decide for yourself if Pepsi’s apology was effective. What course of actions do you think Pepsi should have taken in responding to the criticism about their iPhone application?

Why is it difficult for people to say “I’m sorry?” These two simple words are easy to articulate; however, it seems that everyone has the hardest time apologizing. People have difficulties accepting their faults and taking responsibility for their actions. As human beings it is in our nature to be prideful and to see ourselves as perfect people. In my opinion “no one’s perfect.” It is clear that we all make mistakes, say things we do not mean to and regret some of our actions. Everyone has their faults, and we should all swallow our pride and recognize when we need to apologize.

Apologizing can be difficult, but we must remember that it takes a bigger person to apologize for his or her actions. Being the one to apologize and realize your fault shows great maturity. In conflict resolution strategies for PR, an apology is used to develop relationships and strengthen communication. PR practitioners encourage companies to accept their faults and apologize for their wrongdoing.

So how should we apologize? According to Tom O Leary there are five steps to an effective apology. I think his steps work really well.

Five Steps to an Effective Apology:

• Make your apology genuine. Take responsibility for your actions and show that you want to overcome the problem. Remember, false apologies are easily spotted and can do more harm than good.
• Do not try and justify your actions. If you continue to ramble on about why you did what you did, it will appear as if you are not apologizing at all. Remember, when you apologize you are swallowing your pride and recognizing your fault.
• Commit to your apology and make a commitment to change. You want to show the other party involved that you are taking the necessary steps to change.
• Be aware of how you phrase your apology. Make sure the other party involved understands what you are apologizing for. Don’t fake the apology and expect that every thing will be fine. To keep a relationship it is important to develop open lines of communication and to be honest with one another.
• Be prepared for the end result. Do not expect that after you apologize the other party will follow with a counter apology. Not everyone reacts the same way after hearing a sincere apology. Just remember that it is out of your hands and you did your part by taking responsibility for your actions.

These five steps to an effective apology are a great resource. Another step that Alexander Kjerulf, a leading expert on happiness at work, suggested was to quickly apologize. The longer a person waits to make an apology, the greater chance there is that the problem will escalate. Alexander Kjerulf makes a valid point because the longer it takes to resolve the problem the wore the problem becomes.

Think about your recent conflicts with friends, family or co-workers. Have you apologized to anyone lately?

As I near graduation day I  begin to think back about my experiences throughout college at the University of Oregon. College is a time for an individual to learn, grow and experience. When I think back to my first day of college I still remember the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking about how I am on my own, away from home and all things comfortable to me. Now that I near graduation day that same feeling is being relived. I would have to say that I am nervous and anxious for what is to come. 

Life is unpredictable and the only thing that a person can do is prepare and hope for the best. It may sound a bit cliché; however, I strongly believe that graduating college and being placed into the professional world is just one chapter closing and another beginning. I know that once I take that leap into the professional world I will take along with me all the knowledge and skills that I have gained, along with the experiences that I have encountered to make sure that I am more prepared and confident wherever my career takes me.

In this blog I plan to educate readers about public relations and conflict resolution strategies. I would like my readers to become knowledgeable in PR and to be able to use the conflict resolution strategies in their everyday lives. My blog is geared towards individuals with similar interests; however, I highly encourage everyone to partake in my blog and leave comments that spark their interest. I hope this blog will be both educational and fun for all users. Feel free to follow me on Twitter and visit my LinkedIn profile.