Apologies are powerful statements that, when used appropriately, can help an individual fix public relations disaster and also turn around any form of ill will that could have been directed towards a person. However, when poorly issued, apologies may worsen a situation or a problem because they may seem disingenuous and insincere. One of the most famous examples successful apologies was offered by actress Reese Witherspoon. In the spring of 2013, Witherspoon was captured on a videotape challenging a traffic police officer after being pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol ( Hare, 2014) .
On the videotape, the actress could be seen and heard hurling arrogant remarks towards the police officer like, “Do you know my name?” and “You are about to find out who I am ( Hare, 2014) .” However, her attempts to deter the police officer from arresting her failed terribly. Witherspoon was embarrassed by her actions and later canceled TV appearances after the incident before offering an apologetic statement on morning TV ( Hare, 2014) . In the statement, Witherspoon pointed out that what happened was unacceptable, and that she was sorry and embarrassed. Her apology read, "Good Morning, America." "It's completely unacceptable, and we are so sorry and embarrassed. We know better, and we shouldn't have done that." She later humorously added, “When a police officer tells you to stay in the car, you stay in the car. I learned that for sure.”
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Elements that Make Witherspoon Apology Successful
Acknowledgment of Responsibility
Acknowledging responsibility involves accepting fault that one made a mistake ( Sandelands, 2015) . Witherspoon clearly states that she made a mistake by drinking one too many glasses of wine and then decided to drive under the influence. Witherspoon does not make vague statements that would have undermined the legitimacy of the apology as she acknowledges the specific offense committed.
Expression of Regret or Remorse
Expression of remorse involves expressing feelings of shame or humiliation when, as a way of regretting the suffering caused to the offended party. Witherspoon shows disappointment in herself when offering an apology. She says that what happened was completely unacceptable (Hare, 2014). She is embarrassed and should not have done that in the first place.
Explanation of What Went Wrong
It is essential that when giving an apology, one should provide details of what happened before the incident. Explanations justify one's actions but to own a wrong committed sincerely. Descriptions communicate the message the offense was committed unintentionally and that it will not happen again (Sandelands, 2015) . Explanations provided should not sound like excuses, blame the victim, or offer a shallow defense. Statements aimed at blaming the victim or justifying an offense tends to be counterproductive. In her apology, Witherspoon successfully manages to explain what went wrong before the incident. Witherspoon said that she went out to dinner with her husband and had one too many glasses of wine ( Hare, 2014) . They thought they were mentally fit to drive when that was not the case.
Declaration of Repentance
When issuing an apology, it is essential to declare repentance using words such as “I am sorry" ( Sandelands, 2015). Declaration for repentance should be sincere and should strive to acknowledge the specific harm committed rather than generalizing an offensive act (for instance, “I am sorry for calling you a cheat” rather than “I am sorry for making derogatory statements”). Witherspoon says that she leaned it would have been better to stay in the car the police officer had ordered (Hare, 2014) . She is, therefore, sorry for not following orders and instead tried to dissuade the officer from arresting her by making arrogant comments.
Link : https://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/09/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/celebrity-apologies-best-worst-uncomfortable/index.html
Additional Question : Do you think to say 'I am sorry' when asking for an apology makes others think less of you?
References
Hare, B. (2014). Celebrity apologies: The good, bad, and uncomfortable - CNN . CNN. Retrieved 10 March 2020, from https://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/09/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/celebrity-apologies-best-worst-uncomfortable/index.html .
Sandelands, L. E. (2015). On taking people seriously: An apology to my students especially. Journal of business ethics , 126 (4), 603-611.
