When you make a mistake, repair the impact

An apology should also say what you’ll change

At a meeting, you interrupted a colleague and presented her idea as your own. When she points this out, you may feel like defending yourself by saying you were under pressure. The context may matter, but it shouldn’t overshadow the specific impact.

Acknowledge what happened and name an appropriate way to make amends: “I interrupted you and didn’t say that the idea was yours. I’m sorry. I’ll set the record straight at the next meeting.” Follow through on what you promised. You can’t decide for the other person whether they forgive you, but you can listen and change how you act next time.