As children we are taught to apologize when we have clearly wronged someone around us. After punching our brother, stealing a playmate’s toy, or throwing a tantrum we apologize. These were good examples of the proper use of an apology, the crime was obvious, all people were aware of the situation, and we attempted to show genuine regret. In the modern adult world, the word sorry does not have this kind of clarity. Often we will say sorry whenever any situation is less than ideal- regardless of whether or not we have anything to do with it. This seems rather benign, but can actually damage your career a lot! Saying “sorry” makes people assume that you are responsible for the issue, even if you had nothing to do with it. Today we are going to look at some common work place situations where we shouldn’t apologize (but often do!).
