It never hurts to say you're sorry, according to this piece of research from University of Illinois law professor Jennifer Robbenholt. That's true even in a court room. The author finds that it works in a variety of legal cases, including wrongful dismissal, injury cases and malpractice.
The findings are significant because they go against the standard advice of lawyers which is to advise defendants against apologizing because the apologies can be interpreted as admissions of guilt.
As part of her research, she surveyed more than 550 people, gauging their reaction to apologies offered during settlement negotiations in a hypothetical injury case. She found that apologies generally reduced financial demands, increasing prospects for an agreement. And the nature of the apology was important too. Apologies that admitted blame, as opposed to just expressing sympathy, were the most effective because participants reported they gained respect for their counterparts
The business implications of this study are clear: a careful apology can help resolve impasses during negotiations.
no comment untill now