I’ve been too busy to read much of anything recently (note to Bellingham book club members – I’m on page 22 and not making headway very fast!). Today, at my 4:30 p.m. lunch break (that’s one way to lose weight – forget to eat all day), I sat down and read Seth Godin’s blog. It was worth the break. Excerpted below is my favorite post. If you head to his blog, be sure to read his insights about Dell’s faux permission marketing and the Better Business Bureau’s spam calls.
Copied from Seth Godin’s Blog:
I was at a gala a few weeks ago (featuring no less than ten speakers). At least 80% of them began their talk by saying, “I know you’re hungry, but…” or “I know it’s late, but…” or “I know you want to go home, but…” and then apologized for giving a speech.
If your speech needs to be prefaced by an apology…
don’t give it.
I agree – focusing on what has gone right, rather than immediately apologizing for potential problems keeps everyone on a path for success.
Never apologise unless you have done something wrong! It sets up a negative frame of refernece before anything has happened. Lets keep things positive!
True, true, true … I over apologize all the time.
In the last day, I’ve had to correct a couple of bank errors and both correction emails started with:
“I’m sorry to bug you but …”
“I’m sorry to be a pain but …”
OMG, the purple cow guy. I was just talking about him (mentioned that you told me to read his book) and what a good book he wrote.
Your right Steph, I have the habit of apologizing too (even if there is no need)
You know what I find interesting: a lot of women (not all–I’m just saying a lot, including myself) tend to apologize about everything under the sun.
Steph