Fixable The secrets of a great apology | from WorkLife with Adam Grant
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Mar 30, 2026 
Mark Gallagher, Formula One operations expert who rebuilds high-reliability teams. Beth Polin, management professor who studies trust repair and the five R's. Kath Konecky, Pre-K teacher who teaches kids genuine repair. They trace why weak sorrys backfire. They unpack the five R's, show how responsibility restores trust, and explain teaching and system fixes that turn mistakes into real repair.
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Five R Framework For Effective Apologies
- Beth Polin identifies five core components of effective apologies: regret, rationale, responsibility, repentance, and repair.
- She ranks responsibility highest, and finds explanation plus offer of repair are also crucial for trust restoration.
Own The Error Then Explain Why It Happened
- When apologizing, take ownership and avoid external excuses; pair an explanation with internal responsibility.
- Prefer 'I should have checked the traffic' over blaming traffic, because ownership signals control and ability to fix it.
Invite Forgiveness Without Pressuring The Other Person
- Invite the harmed person into repair by requesting forgiveness or asking 'Are we good' as an invitation rather than a demand.
- Allow them time to accept; forgiveness is optional and may not equal full relationship repair.