196: Words and Phrases to Avoid in an Official Apology

We are going back to the 90s to look at a presidential apology to help us learn a PR lesson for today.Learn the importance of apologizing for mistakes, why the right use of words is imperative, and why you need to action an apology rather than just hinting at one. We also dissect other public apologies to see who was successful in the their aapology and who botched it. Key Points From This Episode: Bill Clinton’s apology for the inappropriate relationship he had during his time of office.Why mistakes require an apology nowadays and why not doing so or not doing so. effectively can damage the reputation of companies.The importance of the right use of words in an apology.We look at an example of a successful apology and an unsuccessful one.The importance of actioning an apology rather than using words that merely imply one.We dissect Bill Clinton’s regrettable public ‘apologies.'Why your approach to an apology cannot be about you and what you feel.We go through some words that should be avoided in apologies.The dangers of the phrase “thoughts and prayers.” We leave you with today’s Indestructible PR tip. Tweetables: “Apologies aren’t easy.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:03:06] “[Good apologies] all comes down to words.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:03:14] “‘I deeply regret the fact that…’ is not apologizing!” — @MollyMcPherson [0:08:54] “In the event of the incident or the moment where you need to apologize, make sure that you do! And use the word ‘apologize.’” — @MollyMcPherson [0:14:14] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Bill Clinton Bill Clinton on TwitterMolly McPherson on TikTok Molly McPherson on Twitter Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Want More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter  Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...