The Daily Stat from Harvard Business Review

September 9, 2015     I’m Sorry (Smile). No, Really (Smile). An analysis of corporations’ public apologies for various transgressions reveals that the more an executive smiled while delivering the apology, the worse the company’s stock performed that day, the next day, and over the next 30 and 60 days, say Leanne ten Brinke of the University of California, Berkeley, and Gabrielle S. Adams of London Business School. The effect was most pronounced for apologies by high-ranking officials such as CEOs. Organizations should think carefully about which executive should deliver an apology, the researchers say; an executive can do damage by appearing to be insincere when saying he’s sorry. SOURCE: Saving face? When emotion displays during public apologies mitigate damage to organizational performance

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