End the Work Year with Gratitude and Apologies

There once was an employee who realized how hard it is to apologize after he offended a colleague recently by dashing off an email and hurling it across the internet without carefully reviewing the tone.  

“I reread the email and saw that it seemed hostile,” he said. “I told him what he was doing wrong without praising him for what he did right.” After the exchange, the employee noticed that his colleague avoided him and did not respond promptly to his requests. He realized that he had damaged an important business relationship and needed to make amends.  

He regretted his haste in sending the email. “For a while, I let it go,” he explained. “I just a slight inner discomfort and the thought of having done someone wrong.”

In the end, however, he decided to end the year with a clean slate and called the colleague to apologize. As he prepared to make the phone call, he realized how hard it is to admit wrongdoing, Nevertheless, he found the experience worthwhile.  

“We had a fruitful discussion about the issue I’d mentioned in the email and parted as friends,” he recalled. The employee saved his relationship with a vital team member. 

Gratitude isn’t the only way to close out the year 

When considering the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another, writers often extol the virtues of showing appreciation to those who’ve helped them. Of course, gratitude is an essential part of all relationships. Indeed, gratitude has been proven to be a key element in developing and maintaining happiness. I fully support making the effort to thank those who have contributed to your life in any way during the year. 

However, apologies matter, too. Miscommunications, resentments, and hurt feelings worsen when left to fester; this can cause serious morale and productivity issues. As hard as it is to apologize, it is better to do so than to leave issues unsettled. Failure to apologize in a public setting can also lead to social media condemnation and damaged branding. 

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