The Art of the Apology

What makes an apology believable? And what turns an apology into a crisis of its own? In this episode of What Just Happened?, Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton revisit themes from their conversation with crisis communications expert Abby Mangold, exploring the messy, highly human territory of public apologies, CEO misconduct and organisational redemption. The discussion looks at the difference between a real apology and a non-apology, reflecting on the work of Dr Harriet Lerner and Brené Brown about why people apologise, what they are really trying to repair and why certain phrases often make things worse. A genuine apology, they argue, requires humility, accountability and meaningful action. The episode also addresses how organisations should prepare for senior leaders behaving badly ahead of time and a focus on culture, values, whistleblowing routes and clear processes. And it examines the role of the board when a crisis involves the executive team. A full transcript of today’s show is available to read here.