| There has been a great deal of media coverage | | | | which inevitably happen from time to time at ANY |
| recently about public apologies and mea culpas | | | | eating establishment. Immediately, the server |
| offered for the harm caused by organizations or | | | | apologizes, and then within a few minutes the manager |
| individuals. There are many benefits to humbly | | | | appears, apologizes again for the mistake and |
| admitting wrong and moving on. | | | | inconvenience, assures us that the food replacement |
| However, an apology is only half of the formula | | | | will be coming very soon, and tells us that they'll |
| necessary to put negative publicity and reputation | | | | remove the item from our bill, even if it's the full price |
| damage behind you -- and it's usually the | | | | of a supper. Both servers and managers crouch down |
| least-important half. The other critical element is making | | | | to table level so that they can look you in the eye |
| amends. | | | | when talking -- a nice personal touch which |
| Dictionaries define "amends" as "recompense for | | | | communicates humility and sincerity. After the food |
| grievance or injury (American Heritage) or "to put right | | | | arrives, the manager and/or server will wait by at the |
| (Merriam-Webster)" or -- and this is my favorite, | | | | table until we're sure the replacement is satisfactory. |
| because it is plain English and speaks to the heart of | | | | This is doing "something good to show that you are |
| the amends concept -- "to do something good to | | | | sorry about something you have done," this is |
| show that you are sorry about something you have | | | | effectively making amends. |
| done (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)." | | | | When extending that concept out to high-profile |
| Hence, if what you have done -- intentionally or | | | | mistakes, one has to ask why more wasn't done by |
| inadvertently -- has caused measurable damage, | | | | Martha Stewart to make amends not only to "the |
| amends would be to repair, or offer some means of | | | | system" by serving time, but also to all of her local |
| repairing, that damage, to include emotional or | | | | stakeholders who felt in some way betrayed or let |
| psychological damage, not just material and financial. | | | | down. |
| Here's a simple example: | | | | An experiential observation: individuals with high |
| At many restaurants, if you are served a well-done | | | | credibility need amends less in order to survive crises. It |
| steak when you have ordered one medium-rare, you | | | | would take a great deal for any of us to trust OJ |
| will get an apology from the server and they'll cook | | | | Simpson again. But Martha had a very high C-Factor |
| you another steak. But how have you as a customer | | | | going into her troubled times and, hence, seems to |
| been harmed, in addition to not being able to eat yet? | | | | have come through it stronger than ever with "only" an |
| You may have suffered some degree of emotional | | | | apology and by making financial amends as required |
| stress over the delay, over not being able to eat at the | | | | by the law. |
| same time as others at your table, and perhaps over | | | | We need only to look to wrongdoing in personal |
| being held up in your plans for after the meal. None of | | | | relationships to realize that the tenth "I'm sorry" from a |
| these are addressed by a typical restaurant's "I'm | | | | family member or friend who has wronged us in the |
| sorry" and simple food replacement. | | | | same way over and over just doesn't cut it. Until and |
| At Claim Jumper, our favorite family restaurant, they | | | | unless that person is willing to make amends, we're not |
| consistently have a superb response to such mistakes, | | | | going to believe an apology. |
