In the world of magic, a singleabracadabra can split a lady in half. It can make a rabbit appear out ofnowhere. You can even be invisible. Magic or not, words are powerful on theirown. They can shatter relationships. It could create new bonds or also repair abroken one. In the era of social media, an apology is not just an act ofremorse towards an offended party. It is your protection from public shamingand condemnation. Many companies and public figures have dealt with thisprocess differently. Some have been successful enough to dampen the fired-upemotions of the masses. Others have failed miserably in their pathetic attemptsof doing so, hindered by conceitedness and vanity. But what makes a good apology?
Get your pen and take note ofthese tips that can help you concoct the perfect apology recipe:
Right now, you are probablytrying to apologize for a mistake. You have offended a specific person or agroup of people on social media. Whatever the case, you need to determine theoffended party. Try to figure out what, why, or how it offended them. The keyhere is to place one’s self on their side or in their shoes. By doing so, youare attempting to empathize.
Capitalize on whatever it is youdid wrong. Emphasize the action and be specific when asking for forgiveness.When writing down your apology, be direct to the point and blame nobody else.Do not offer any excuse for what you did. It just makes you look selfish andyour apology as feigned.
Be genuine. Expressing yourregret and guilt over your misdemeanor should be candid and honest. Your choiceof words should be forthright and straightforward. Using deep vocabularies inyour apologies can come across as pretentious. The best way to be sincere is tofocus on the person you have hurt and not yourself. Doing the opposite couldbackfire.
Repentance and change go hand inhand. Your sorry should partner with a promise – an alteration in behavior.Apologizing means that you are not going to repeat the same mistake and to bemore sensitive to your actions. Being sorry reminds you that peaceful livingneeds compromise.
Public blunders aretime-sensitive. The longer the time you are trying to be quiet about it, thecold-blooded you are to the public. Do not wait a long time before apologizing.Strike while the issue is still in your control, and the damage has not spread.Nowadays, news about your mistakes can quickly spread like wildfire. People onsocial media are quick to react, so you should also be swift with yourapology.
Apologizing through texts andemails is insensitive and it also erases the personal connection between youand the offended party. Saying sorry directly to them is better since you wouldbe able to know their reaction. However, if you are a public figure, then apublic apology is understandable.
Apologies are like literary ducttapes. By infusing your heartfelt emotion into your words, you will be able topatch up anything. Through a simple sorry, you extend to that person how muchyou value them. Furthermore, it can save you a lot of trouble from the judgingeyes of the public. So, apologize, and be careful next time.
