Welcome to this week's episode of the Modern Mentor Podcast. I'm your host, Rachel Cook. And today,

we're going to be talking The Art of the Apology, because getting it right is about a whole lot more than saying

I'm sorry. We continue to live in unprecedented times. There's no playbook. We're living and

working differently than ever before, and we're breaking some eggs as we go. Whether it's making

a Zoom faux pa, accidentally bringing a political view into the workplace,

or missing a deadline because you were distracted by homeschooling your kids during your workday,

there's a whole lot of I'm sorry happening around us. But the thing about apologies is that if

they're not done right, they can backfire. And I'm sorry that feels disingenuous or

patronizing may leave the other person feeling resentful, mistrustful, or uninterested in working with you

again. So the next time the moment arises, because it will, how can you deliver an apology

that feels genuine? For their book, when sorry isn't enough,

Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas researched the many ways in which we apologize. They discovered

the five apology languages that are effective when it's time to step up and own a mistake.

So let's talk about each one and how you can make it work for you. The first

apology language is an expression of regret. When you realize you've done a thing that you just feel

bad about and I feel bad about this is the gist of what you want to say, this is the apology

language you're looking for. Something as simple as, I'm sorry, X happened, can achieve your

goal. When might you need this one? Imagine you're hosting a Zoom call. One of your colleagues

asks a question and you dismiss it flippantly and move on. Not unforgivable, but upon reflection,

you feel bad that their question got passed over.

Give them a call and put language number one to work.

Offer a simple apology.

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