Tiger Woods’ recent mea culpa led to a number of comments and critiques. One of the most interesting analyses came in a New York Times article on Sunday, “I Apologize. No, Really, I’m Serious, I…” by Paul Vitello. In it, he notes the work of Dr. Aaron Lazare, the author of “On Apology”, which focuses on personal, not public apologies, but has some real wisdom to share for both types of apologies.
Mr. Vitello quotes Dr. Lazare on four basic points. First, according to Dr. Lazare, an apology needs to be specific. What might that mean in the context of the Connecticut mediation and consulting work that Dovetail Resolutions does?
In business mediation, it might mean an apology about exactly what opportunity was lost, not a vague statement about things not working out. In mediation of a family wealth conflict, it might mean an apology about a particular decision made and the negative consequences that flowed from it. In elder mediation, it might mean an apology about a particular incident that inflamed emotions in the family.
