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HUGH GRANT HAS a new movie out this summer and it got me thinking about how far he’s come, and how some would say he is now part of the Hollywood elite.
Hugh’s well respected, been in high-grossing movies and has a career spanning 30 odd years. Yes, he’s made mistakes but he’s bounced back. And we can learn a lot about handling mistakes from how he’s handled one mistake in particular.
Cast your mind back 21 years to his dalliance with Divine Brown. This in 1995 was shocking, yet Hugh handled it brilliantly. He released a statement the very next day saying sorry and took his punishment (a $1,000 fine and attending an Aids education programme).
He also appeared on Jay Leno where he apologised again and was publically mocked and shamed. While on with Leno he said “you know in life what’s a good thing to do and a bad thing to do. I did a bad thing”. He took it on the chin and moved on.
We all make mistakes - it’s how we handle them that makes a difference
Now things don’t always go swimmingly at work. Deadlines get missed, a customer isn’t happy, there’s a misunderstanding with a colleague. Our cockups are a little less racy than Hugh’s but how we deal with them shouldn’t differ a whole lot.
Like good customer service, sometimes a mistake handled well can be better than normal solid service. It depends on how you handle it.
If you do make a cock-up the first thing to do is try get out ahead of it. Own up quickly. Don’t wait for your boss to come to you. Figure out what happened and what you’re going to do to fix it. Maria Sharapova attempted this last week, announcing her failed drug test herself, fronting up and trying to stay ahead of the story. (Although, her issue may be too much for most people).
Depending on the magnititude of the error the key, if not the only, question is: will the apology be accepted?
Of course, if we raid the company bank account, no matter how good the apology, is we’ll be packing our bags. (And meeting members of An Garda Siochana shortly afterwards.) However, thankfully, the errors we make are rarely, if ever, so egregious.
Saying ‘I’m sorry’
For an apology to work it needs to be more than “I’m sorry”. The perfect apology has four steps. Call them the four “A”s.
Apology. The “I’m sorry” bit. Straightforward. No ifs, buts or maybes. No conditions, mitigating factors or modifiers. Just “I did it and I’m sorry.”
Acknowledging. This aspect of the apology demands that you elucidate precisely what was wrong with what you did, and acknowledge, also, the damage you directly or indirectly, caused. “I’m sorry for…”
Attending. If apologising in work (or anywhere) the person saying “sorry” must attend to those offended/hurt/. You have to wallow in it. Spend time with the apology. Make the other side know that you register the damage and hurt done to them.
Action. This is where reparation comes in. Payback time. You seek to make amends to everybody you damaged along the way.
The same in work if you mess up. Tell your boss you’re sorry, acknowledge what you did, figure out a way to fix it and a plan to make sure it never happens again. Hugh Grant pretty much gave us the blue-print.
You get your good reputation back through delivery, and from the fact that you clearly learned from your mistake. Doing the job better than you did before.
Eoghan McDermott is a Director of The Communications Clinic and is Head of Training and Careers there. www.communicationsclinic.ie. Follow him on Twitter @EoghanMcDermott.
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Mary Lou does her job as a public representative by asking the Tanaiste questions
Joan Burton refuses to do her job by answering said question
Mary Lou gets suspended for not tolerating this constant affront to our parliament any more
FG/Labour, a democratic revoluition ™
Exactly. Unlike Moanie Joanie, Mary Lou answers all questions put to her and all questions put to Gerry too.
I think Joanie answered the question saying she did not know (no surprise) and Mary aloo didnt like the answer.
Mary Lou does her job by not allowing anyone else do theirs………………..yeah well done, Wind bag
Who’s that looper coming out of the surf in Portmarnock today? ….Brave Bucko, must be test driving his flu jab. :)
Who here thinks Noonan has actually has done a good enough job so far…….not good or amazing or anything like that,but just that he is solid considering what was handed to him to solve.Just people thoughts of him,coz for yrs and yrs and yrs the finance minister was always the lad that got the stick but to be honest I think nearly no one has said stuff about him since he came to office
can anyone find out how it took 110 gardai to arrest the young man in Sligo who had a shot gun who was sentenced today for 7 years. I though they were short of resources
Noon an the man who sent hepatitis sufferers to the grave defending the public purse and his investments and pensions yes you are right he deserves a knighthood in the new years honours list.
Prince, I was astonished at the report myself. A lone looper with a shot gun inside a premises needs 110 gardai, armed units, canine units and god knows what else?
Sheik, people just can’t be pleased. They took him alive, didn’t they. Would you rather they just sent a few snipers and take him out. Remember Abeylara. The furore went on for years and the public enquiry cost 20 million. And anyway what has that got to do with Michael Noonan.
James, you should establish first what the Sheik was commenting upon. It was in response to my observation on the number of gardai it took (110) to apprehend that man in Sligo. If you think it is acceptable , perhaps you should join the current government party or Fianna Fáil. You can help them to bring our country even further to its knees……… Not that they need any help!!!
I understood that Prince so I’ll address my comment to you and still maintain that it’s valid. On the subject of wasting money and resources on gardai and security forces, what was spent in Sligo would be a very small drop in the ocean in comparison with the countless millions spent on security over the thirty or so years of the troubles or “war” or whatever you want to call it, involving, as it did, many of Mary Lou’s colleagues.
the CC rightfully and democratically told the riff raff to get out. mary loud tantrum just shows how pathetic she really is, meanwhile the SF/IRA child rapists prey on our children under the protection of SF. utterly reprehensible. have you even one ounce of decency mary lou?
I remember when IPhone Joan was on the opposition benches and saying alot of the same things that the shinners are saying today… what a turncoat… Labour Water Rat………
George Orwell was right. Any sniff of power and you’re corrupted.
It is called politics Tim… get used to it.
Could the shinners break the mould? Time may or may not tell.
No
You seem pretty sure. You may be right, but we won’t know till we try it. Can’t be much worse than what’s gone before. Vested interests, the powerful and the greedy, may not be best pleased, but feck them for a change?
It can be much, much worse than what’s gone before. We have things pretty sweet in Ireland relative to most places, and personally I have my doubts a party of militant Marxists are going to turn us into all the good bits of Scandinavia if elected.
Mary Lou is anti-democratic. She prevented our elected representatives (and regardless of what you think of them that is, for the moment, what they are) from doing their business. She was clearly instructed by Gerry (in whose headlights she appears to be caught) to stage some stunt to distract from the fact that he is known to have facilitated the ‘resettlement’ of sex abusers … at the very least. Joan Burton blathered. But she’s not in the blathering class of Adams, the master of evasiveness, half truths, whole untruths, twisting, spinning, flying first class, buying holiday homes, pocketing €1m in expenses at Westminster, protecting and even employing his brother…. but tonight, Mary Lou is the centre of attention. Tomorrow, Gerry will still be guilty…
Are you still being paid by Denis O’Brien’s Sunday World newspaper, Paddy?
Off you go again… do you think everyone employed by Denis O’Brien should just give up work? And who (God help them) if anyone employs you? Or is that hidden behind your cowardly pseudonym too?
You’ve gone very quiet Were (you don’t mind if I call you Were?)
Sorry bout the delay Paddy, just putting the kids to bed….
It’s just when I read this from you……
“Tomorrow, Gerry will still be guilty…”
It reminded me of your newspaper penchant for libel and defamation.
Never sued. So. Are you telling us who your wonderful employer is. (My child in bed a while)
Last week, I challenged two Shinners to come with me to the family of a man murdered by the IRA to explain to them why they thought it was right that he was tortured and shot dead. They fell silent. Stopped posting. Now I have Mr Jammin seems to be unable or unwilling to tell me for whom it is he works. I asked, because he seems to think I, and all the others employed by him, should stop working for Denis O’Brien. Why the silence? Is it a trend? Or an instruction?
It would be an instruction Paddy, but you’ll have another Sinn Fein Bot in to muddy your question and try to discredit you.
It surprises me not one bit that cowardice is admired by Shinners.
Who was the person who was tortured and shot
Tom Oliver…. amongst others.
What happened Tom oliver was wrong like most deaths during the troubles
Followed up Paddy with a victim of a loyalist thug and then maybe a dub/mon victim? Or would such a journalistic approach not meet your personal objectives?
the lid is only coming off the endless abuse the SF/IRA death out to the irish people. 8 more SF/IRA abusers identified, the SDLP have told SF they want nothing to do with sectarian child abusers
Just watching BBC and learning that some of the technology on the Philae is nearly 20yrs old. Imagine how much more power even this posting has in comparison – greater achievement than I first thought.
Incredulous when you think about it!
Hope Mary Loo has a nice warm sleeping bag, the heating hardly stays on all night.
She left the chamber at 4:30pm when the Dail session was due to end, genius.
Poor trolling, F-
must try harder
Hopefully – by the time An Dail resumes, this awful corrupt Government calls a General Election and that awful Ceann Comhairle rides into the sunset ?
We might even get some Democracy in the future as a result ?
Of course the heating stays on and the air conditioning as it does in many office blocks and the toilet flush automatically 24hrs and lights are seldom switched off either. I have first hand experience of many companies who don’t bother, especially banks.
Yeah James, you’re such a troll. And you misspelt “Lou”. The way you spelt it means toilet. Be careful next time.
James please keep up with the news Mary is well gone home. Are you another FG Labour troll, getting very common on here lately
Sorry about that Shinner and I pride myself on my grammar and spelling. I hardly ever make a mistake.
No worries Séamus, we all make mistakes (except for SF btw).
Shinner o bot, is Gerry really God ?? really really, is he ???
poor idiot you would nearly feel sorry for her she looked so pathetic like a child leaving the headmasters office. but riff raff will learn manners the easy way of the hard way, you choice mary lou. now please stop deflecting from the disgraceful abuse your organisation you and your organisation are covering up
Whats with rumours that they are preparing emergency legislation for next week in the dail. The purpose of which is to take money from peoples wages and social welfare
I have never seen such messing in the Irish media… no word on IW but lets go after the currently most popular party in the country and take it from there…
What’s Russell Brand at? ..he picked up his irish brogue….. lifted straight from The Quiet Man?
First it’s not Sheffield Wednesday it’s Sheffield United and he isn’t employed by them he’s just training there.
Also he was sacked by the club when he was convicted
have your say