To win back lost trust, it’s important to grasp a fundamental truth about apologies: When something bad happens, you must first decide if an apology is even warranted—sometimes apologizing is not the best strategy.
If an apology is warranted, companies must then answer three key questions to properly craft a response: Do we tell the truth? On whose behalf are we acting? How do our actions benefit those who trust us? To help executives be better prepared to speak to stakeholders in difficult and make-or-break moments, we explain this process below.
