Sorry, but we’re apologizing too much
Step on somebody’s toes? By all means, say you’re sorry. But are we expressing regret too often for minor transgressions?
A fellow member of my Toastmaster’s club—a former lawyer who is now an acupuncturist—once gave a speech about how she came to realize that she was apologizing too often.
Every time an appointment ran over, Lynn opened her next one by saying, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
So she began using an alternative. Nowadays when she runs late, she says, “Thank you for your patience.”
Sorry to be the one to raise the issue, but aren’t we overdoing the S-word in an era in which every third email seems to include a bit of preemptive groveling, and every day brings another basketful of corporate apologies?
Sorry I didn’t respond to your morning email until after lunch. Sorry I forgot to bring paper plates for these cupcakes I baked for the team. Sorry I kept you on hold when you called me out of the blue.
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