Do you find yourself over-apologizing when you don’t need to? Whether it’s at work or home, constantly saying sorry is a habit you need to break.
In today’s episode, we talk about why some of us constantly apologize, how it impacts our credibility, and what we should do instead. Check out this Pantene commercial that beautifully illustrates this phenomenon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcGKxLJ4ZGI.
I’m not saying that we should never apologize. There are certain instances when a genuine apology is the right thing to do, and it’s a powerful way to mend relationships.
But there are genuine circumstances when you don’t need to or shouldn’t apologize.
I used to be a serial over-apologizer. I would often apologize out of empathy for someone or when I felt bad about something. For example, if a friend’s car were wrecked by someone else, I’d say, “Gosh, I’m so sorry! That sucks.”
Or I needed someone to do something work-related; I would say, “I’m sorry, I need you to complete this task so we can get it to the client by tomorrow.”
It wasn’t until a friend and colleague made me aware of what I was doing and how it hurt my credibility that I actively worked to stop this bad habit. I realized I could show empathy without apologizing.
If you constantly over-apologize, you are not alone. I was where you are, and I know of others who struggle with this habit. Today’s episode is all about giving you tips and strategies to empower you to break this habit because it is not serving you or your career.
In this episode, we’ll get into:
- Identifying if you tend to over-apologize.
- Understanding why some struggle with this habit.
- Unpacking the impact of saying sorry has on you and your credibility.
- Nine strategies you can implement immediately instead of saying sorry
It’s time you take your power back and communicate directly and confidently at work.
Grab pen and paper and jot down the 9 strategies you can apply immediately and notice the difference in your communication and how you come across to others.
Share this episode with other serial apologizers. And if you realize over-apologizing doesn’t apply to you, share it with someone who will benefit from the strategies. I bet you’ll find at least one person in your life who’ll appreciate you making them aware of their habit.
Connect with your host, Kele Belton:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/
Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com
