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Friday, March 06, 2009

The Dynamics of Being Sorry

From Knowledge@Wharton, a good essay on the power of being sorry for unforseen circumstances. Early on in my enterprise career I was told that I used 'sorry about that' too often in talks. The piece gives a number of examples in the health and financial industry that could help current day problems. He is suggesting a law in Pennsylvania:

" ... to pass a law permitting medical professionals to “acknowledge, express empathy for, and take ownership of unforeseen outcomes” without risking a lawsuit based on the fact that they apologized. Shapiro points out that numerous studies have shown that “anger – not greed – is the driving force behind most medical-malpractice suits.” In one study, he says, “more than a third of those who filed suit said they would not have done so if they had been given an explanation and an apology.” ... "

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