You wouldn’t think an apology was a particularly difficult concept, would you? So why then, for many organisations and individuals, does “sorry” seem to be the hardest word?

What is it about making an apology - and getting that apology right - that's not straightforward? How do you make an apology, and what must you avoid doing for it to be effective?

This is a crucial skill for anyone, but particularly relevant for leaders, HR professionals, complaint practitioners - and especially their lawyers - to understand.

Research studies tell us that apology is a critical step in reconciliation and recovery, particularly for people who've been targeted by workplace incivility, bullying or harassment.

If an organisation refuses to apologise when it knows harm has been caused, a deliberately withheld apology can excerbate and prolong the physical and psychological harm caused by workplace bullying.

Does it matter whether an apology is sincere, or do ordered apologies still have merit in resolving the situation for the person harmed?

Is it possible to change legislation so that lawyers no longer have to tell organisations they shouldn't apologise for fear of admitting liability? The example of New South Wales in Australia shows this can be done, without the sky falling in. There's a golden opportunity in this for politicians and legislators to leave a lasting legacy of positive change - and cut their Government's legal bills as well.

In this episode, I talk to Chris Wheeler, former Deputy Ombudsman of New South Wales. He literally wrote the manual for public sector organisations giving effective apologies, and worked to introduce ground-breaking legislative changes to enable apologies to be made.

Listen now to hear from Chris about Life at the Sharp End of effective apology, and what he did in public service to ensure "sorry" isn't the hardest word.

LINKS

Contact Chris Wheeler via his website - https://www.chriswheelerconsulting.com/

"Bullying, at its core, is not an individual problem, spurred by one person, but an outgrowth of a workplace environment that either allows or encourages behaviours such as gossip, humiliation, belittling, gaslighting and exclusion.”

Those are the words of Associate Professor Dorothy Suskind in the introduction to her book about the predictable patterns that workplace bullies follow in selecting and persecuting their targets.

In this episode packed with information, Dorothy talks to me about her research, her own experiences and the psychology behind the harmful effects of predictable tactics like isolation, exclusion and manipulation used by workplace bullies.

There are two audiences for this episode:

1. People who are, or have previously, experienced workplace bullying. The patterns and harms described in this episode will help you to understand what's happened, and the steps you can take towards meaningful recovery, creating agency in your life and coming to terms with what's happened to you.

2. For leaders and HR professionals - someone responsible for others - you'll learn how bullies and their allies work in your organisation. It'll help you tackle the problem, and maybe show you how you're playing a role in the harm they cause to others (whether that's deliberately or inadvertantly).

Understanding these patterns helps people to prevent bullying, or to heal the harm where it's been caused.

LINKS

Episode show notes: https://priceperrott.com/podcast/ep6-predictable-cycle-of-workplace-bullying-patterns-and-consequences

Purchase Dorothy's book - Workplace bullying: finding your way to big tent belonging - on Amazon (affiliate link)

Dorothy Suskind’s webpage: https://dorothysuskind.com

Dorothy’s articles in Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/contributors/dorothy-suskind-phd

Emergency services are organisations held in high trust by the public. They’re people you can turn to and rely on. Rightly so, and the overwhelming majority of people working in emergency service roles are committed professionals or volunteers, dedicated to public service, and supportive of their colleagues.

So why then do research studies, media stories and independent inspections continue to show historic and current problems involving workplace bullying, harassment and sexual harm in emergency services?

How does the culture of an emergency services organisation create barriers that prevent those who’ve experienced serious misconduct, from speaking up about their colleagues - a phenomenon described in research as “the blue wall of silence”?

In this episode, I’m talking to Hollie Trollen - a lecturer in Criminology at the Sexualised Violence and Abuse Research Lab from the University of Chichester in the UK about her research into - and experiences of - sexual harm in the emergency services.

This episode may be confronting, and there are links provided in the show notes to a range of support organisations for anyone affected by the topics discussed.

Would you like to know more?

Visit priceperrott.com for this episode's show notes, support links, and to sign-up for exclusive subscriber-only content and analysis.

LINKS

• Connect with Hollie Trollen on LinkedIn
• Hollie's profile page at the University of Chichester