CREDIBILITY
So, you’ve made a serious mistake that has impacted the lives of several of your closest friends, family members, or co-workers and now you’re worried that your credibility has taken a nose-dive. Yep that sucks. What now? Snap Out of It! As a motivational leadership speaker specializing in professional success I can assure you, this isn’t irreversible. How to regain lost credibility? It’s a SNAP if you do it right.
Grow a Pair – Own Up
Everyone makes mistakes: that’s just a part of life. If you’ve truly made an honest mistake, don’t defend it by twisting logic and reality: just own up to it. Studies have found that people regain a lot of credibility if they just own up to their mistakes. Admitting you made a mistake makes you look more mature, intelligent, and shows you’re willing to learn from your past errors to become a better person. But as a change expert I know you have to do more than just pay lip service to your mistake. You actually have to take action. Action that changes yourself and the situation.
Apologize And Mean It!
Once you’ve owned up to your mistake, contact any and all people that your mistake has impacted and make a sincere and heartfelt apology. Understandably, this may be incredibly difficult: admitting you’re wrong is difficult enough, but making amends is even harder. Get over it and get on with it.
However, a sincere apology is one of the best ways to regain credibility because it shows you understand the impact of your mistake, that you empathize with the emotions of the people affected, and that you want to mend your relationship.
Here’s how to make a sincere apology in a SNAP:
State what you did wrong.
Avoid blaming anyone else for your actions.
Omit any politician sounding apologetic phrases from your vocabulary.
Actually change your behavior. Shocker!
Shut up. Don’t keep talking about it.
After you’ve owned up to your mistake and apologized, demonstrate the changes you professed you would make. See new achievable possibilities on how to rise above this situation and how to use it to grow your brand credibility. Constantly reminding people of your mistake by repeatedly apologizing or kissing up to them only keeps you stuck and keeps the memory of the mistake forever stuck in their mind.
Focus on the the lesson you learned and use it for good. Soon, your credibility will be completely restored and your mistake a distant, and fading, memory. With the right perspective and action steps, it could turn out to be a great memory.