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A Better Apology

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Research and Application Paper

A Better Apology
Introduction
The interpersonal skill I have chosen is apology. Being apologetic shows strength and maturity to admit fault and failure. An apology can make or break a relationship. This skill is very important in any kind of relationship because it says the person is aware that they did something wrong and hurtful. This interpersonal skill is a powerful social skill that every person and child should property learn. If everyone practiced apologizing properly, the world would be a better place.
Research Source I
Lazare, A. "Go Ahead, Say You're Sorry"
The first source states that a genuine apology is very important interaction between relationships. Apologies does not represent a weak and bad character but it represent strength and a good character. An apology a small precious skill that needs to be learned properly and taught among our children. This powerful skill of apologizing right can restore damaged relationships between two people, groups and among different nations across the world. An apology that was delivered, but not delivered property to the other person will strain the relationships to where they cannot be repaired and will create a life-long bitterness. A successful apology can heal humiliation and generate forgiveness.

Four basic reasons to motivate an apology: 1. Restore a relationship. 2. Have empathic reason to apologize. 3. Escape punishment. 4. Relieve a guilty conscience.
These four basic guideline basically describe restoring a civil relationship in any relationship whether with an intimate partner, a co-worker, or with a friend. The empathic reason is because the apologizer regrets that they have hurt someone and then presents an apology to end the victim's pain. Apologizing to escape punishment is when a criminal apologizes to the victim in exchange for a lesser plea. And the last reason to motivate an apology is to relieve the apologizer of their guilty conscience because they feel ashamed of what they have done.
Anatomy of an Apology 1. Acknowledge and understand what was violated and accept responsibility for it. * Say, "I'm sorry for what I have done" be specific "I betrayed you by talking behind your back" 2. Show you understand the nature of our wrongdoing. * Say, "I know I hurt you and I am so very sorry" 3. Explain why the violation took place. * Offer that you were tired, sick, drunk, distracted, or in relationship this explanation protects your self-concept. 4. Open an offer. * Say, "Please let me know if there is anything I can do?" 5. Feel remorse. * A good apology needs to make the apologizer suffer.
The most common cause of a failed apology is that of the apologizer’s pride is in the way or is in fear and/or shamed. A good apology is to admit to have failed as good person. Do not expect instant forgiveness.

Research Source II
PETTIGROVE and COLLINS. "Apologizing For Who I Am."
The second source states that an apology is focus on a wrong action that one person has done to another person and expresses remorse for their action that was not intended to be hurtful, but only because they do not realize what they have done something wrong in the first place. A failure of character as other people would see this person. The question to answer is if a person with a failed character should have to apologize for who they are and for what they have done unknowingly. Simply laughing at a raciest joke, the apologizer is not a racist, but others who witness his loud laughter might think he is except the person who is telling the joke. A husband who works 60 hours a week does not want to go out to dinner with his wife because he says he is too tired, but when his buddies calls him over for a poker game, he accepts the invitation. An employee who is shows up on time every day, but is unable to perform his job properly. The girl who has graduated with high honors is now conceited and does not listen to anyone else because she thinks her ideas only matter. These are a four examples of different situations. Should they feel that they need to apologize for being themselves?
Suggested Guidelines to recognize your own failed character: 1. Recognize a failed character. 2. Objections to character. 3. Guilt, Shame, and Apology
The first guideline suggests to recognize your own character, to take a step back and put oneself into the victim’s eyes. Second suggests to look at your character and morals and the third guideline suggests to have remorse feelings of guilt and shame and finally you can apologize to the person you have did wrong to.
The Functions of an Apology:
The function of an apology is to alert the victim that you are a good person with good intentions, but have failed to show this with your recent negative actions. The central function is to mend relationships and to prevent relationship becoming strain because of moral failures. You want to show the victim you feel remorse about your behavior and you want them to know that you will not fail in the future and to give a promise to not to repeat the offense.
Application I
Situation: Schedule changes have taken place at work, we are split in to two teams, first team will come in earlier, second team will come in two hours later, and then we alternate. I started with the second team and I already disliked coming at a later hour. Mark is a friend, he is in the first team, this week is his turn to arrive later, but he shows up early, I do not say anything. Then the next day he arrives early again. I am feeling upset because I did not make 40 hours last week, this makes me upset about this change. So in front of everyone who is in my team I tell him, "Mark, its 8:30, why are you here early? I don’t understand why you get to come in early, the rest of us have followed a schedule we don’t like. What makes you so special?" I said this a sarcastic voice. He said, "I don’t know, ask Martha." (Martha is our boss) He left. An hour passed, I thought about what and how I spoke to him. It was not right. I approached him by himself and told him without any eye contact, "I'm sorry about earlier when I snapped at you", he then said, "I don’t care what you said earlier because it means nothing to me, I don’t need to listen to you!" His voice was angry, I got defensive and said, "Whatever" while walking away.
Following Dr. Lazare guidelines, I would have approached Mark in a more positive way, have our bodies facing each other with direct eye contact. My facial expression would be kind and sincere, my voice polite. I would tell him, "Mark, about earlier, I want to apologize for what I have done to you in front of everyone. It was not right and I feel bad, this will not happen again. I am not liking the schedule change. Please let me know if there is anything I can do." I think his reaction would be different.

Application II
Situation: I sometimes go to bed without saying, "Goodnight" to my spouse. Sometime I say it and there are times when I get up to go to the bathroom, end up preparing for bed. I think nothing of it and in the back of my mind I think he will come to bed soon. I am a person who will fall asleep in seconds. I was once called a hobo because I could sleep anywhere and anytime of the day. I know this upsets him.
Following Pettigrove and Collins guidelines, I need to recognize my failed character, my failed morals and need to feel guilty. I have done this and I need to apologize.
One morning, after I found myself in this situation again, I felt guilty. I waited for him to wake up. He got up and said "Good morning", I sat in front of him with our bodies facing each other, and I held his hands together in my hands. I looked him directly in his eyes with a concern, but not so serious facial expression and said, "I am so sorry about last night, I know it upsets you when I don’t tell you goodnight, I don’t do this intentionally to hurt you. I should know that the little things count and I should not take this for granted. I feel bad and I want to let you know I will make more of an effort to say goodnight from now on." After expressing my sincere feeling to him, I think he would not be upset as much as he was, but I would have to make an effort to say those simple two little words.

Conclusion
A successful apology has guidelines to follow. The two articles have a very similar process. The beginning of a good apology can be difficult because you have to admit guilt and fault. Next is to show that you understand what you have done, show remorse, make amends, and finally promise that it will not happen again. Do not expect instant forgiveness. I never know there was process on how to apologize. After reading the articles, I understand that a simple "I'm sorry" will not help restore a relationship to its full potential because the person you have hurt will have lost trust in you. When you have a successful apology you should feel good about yourself. I believe everyone should learn to apologize because no one is perfect, we have the capability to hurt others through our behaviors and actions, whether it is intentional or not.

Work Cited Page
Lazare, A. "Go Ahead, Say You're Sorry: We View Apologies As A Sign Of Weak Character. But, In Fact, They Require Great Strength. And We Better Learn How To Do 'Em Right Because We'll Be Needing Them More. The Complete Primer On How To Apologize." Psychology Today -New York- 28.1 (1995): 40. British Library Document Supply Centre Inside Serials & Conference Proceedings. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

PETTIGROVE, GLEN, and JORDAN COLLINS. "Apologizing For Who I Am." Journal Of Applied Philosophy 28.2 (2011): 137-150. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

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