This is a very funny video "review" by http://www.popcrunch.com/ of a few well known celebrity apologies, including really bad mea culpas by Mel Gibson and Michael (Cramer) Richards. Well worth a look.
We would love to have Sarah East provide regular video reviews of celebrity apologies for PA but, at the rate of current apologies in the news, she'd be working 24/7. Of course, we provide our own review of these and other apologies but they are definitely not this funny.
Tiger Woods has issued a second public apology for what he now describes as "infidelity". It is not clear to us whether the more precise descriptor was required -- everyone on the planet understood from his first apology what he meant by "transgression":I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try. I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing. After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person. Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.
We have consistently distinguished the high quality of Tiger's "public" apology from the many (many) other private personal and business apologies he will continue to work on over the next several months. We do not believe Tiger accomplished much more in round two by repeating the main elements of his first public apology (issued on December 2), and continue to believe nothing more needs to be said to the general public or to his fans.
However, the most significant additional item in this round is the announcement by Tiger that he will take an indefinite leave of absence from golf to focus on repairing the damage. This will certainly give his major sponsors some breathing room as they continue to deal with the fallout, so in this sense the second apology offers at least some additional restitution. It also provides Tiger with the time he will need to work on saving his family. But Tiger's decision will also have a direct (and negative) effect on the very same networks that have been so relentless in demanding more details about his "infidelity" -- they will almost certainly lose millions in revenue from the lower TV ratings that are directly related to the millions of Tiger's fans, along with many of Tiger's staunchest critics, who will not be tuning in to watch any of the televised PGA tour events in 2010 (or until he returns). Apparently, most golf fans tune in to these stations when Tiger is playing, and even more watch when Tiger has a chance to win.
According to a recent article posted on golf.fanhouse.com, "television ratings for the final round at the Wachovia Championship this year down 53 percent, and ratings for the final round at the AT&T National down 48 percent." Advertising revenues are directly tied to these ratings, so if we multiply those lost revenues by every PGA tour event in 2010 the true measure of Tiger's impact on golf becomes very clear. Conversely, calculate the billions of dollars Tiger has already made for these same networks and you begin to understand why he doesn't owe them anything more than the public apology he has already issued. He deserves (and is owed) some space.
Here's a great interview on NBC's Today show with business ethics expert, Lauren Bloom -- a widely respected and internationally renowned consultant on professional ethics and governance. She is the founder and CEO of Elegant Solutions Consulting, a consulting firm "dedicated to helping professionals, business and association management executives build trust with their clients, customers and members."
Lauren is also the author of “The Art of the Apology” -- one of the best e-books on the market designed specifically to help you craft the Perfect Apology. We strongly recommend this book to those of you looking for a compact collection of excellent suggestions to work through your personal or business crises.
John Kador, an author, consultant and expert on "effective apologies", published the following assessment of Tiger's apology:Tiger Woods has carefully fashioned his brand as a squeaky-clean athlete to become the most compensated figure in this history of sports. That brand is being dismantled before our eyes. Woods desires privacy beut he fails to acknowlege that he is accountable to the public, the source of all that wealth and privilege, just as much as his family and friends. His failure to acknowledge this truth will lead to a sream of media revelations that he cannot control and must react to. The first symptom of hiding: one's world is diminished. TIger Woods has announced he will not participate in a charity golfing event hat bears his name. Tiger's goal of getting the media attention behind him would be better served if he took charge of the revellations. Say it first, say it straight, say it all.
We at PA respectfully disagree with John's assessment and have decided to post the following email exchange on the subject.
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Date: December 3, 2009
From: Peter F. Goolpacy
Dear John,
Great website and Blog -- we look forward to reading your book. But we think your expectations (if not demands) regarding Woods' "public" apology miss the mark. Not sure why any of us (including us apology 'experts') deserve any more.
Best,
Peter F. Goolpacy
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Date: December 4, 2009
From John Kador
Peter,
Thanks for reaching out about the Tiger Woods apology.
I always welcome a dialogue with you to help clarify the issues.
I think the only place where we differ is that I believe Tiger Woods is accountable to the public for a certain set of transgressions. These acts are quite distinct from the acts for which he needs to personally apologize and for which he is entitled to privacy. Tiger Woods is perhaps the world's wealthiest and most privileged athlete. From where does that wealth and privilege derive? From his talent, no doubt, but also from a compact he has made with his sponsors and the public. It has been a carefully cultivated compact that goes way beyond his performance on the golf course and from which he continues to draw resources. He is, in every respect, a leader and has offered himself as such. It now appears that the leader regrets transgressions (his word). Until he is clear with himself, his family, and the public, each according to what he owes, as to the exact nature of these transgressions, no one can know that Tiger Woods has rededicated himself to the values he regrets violating.
On a more practical level, I argue that if Woods wants to put this matter behind him, he is going about it the wrong way. The media will let it go only when he does. As long as he's offering resistance, the media will eat it up because the media loves conflict. As soon as Tiger lets go of the need to control, the media will be on to the next thing because there's no conflict anymore.
I'll post this exchange on my blog. I think it gives readers two points of view to consider. Feel free to comment here directly on the blog. I'll send you a link later today when I get to it.
Best,
John
82 March Circle
Winfield PA 17889
office: 570-524-1207
cell: 630-440-6962
www.jkador.com
www.effectiveapology.com
twitter: jkador
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Date: December 4, 2009
From Peter F. Goolpacy
John,
Interesting points, but we still think you're missing the big picture here. Tiger owes the public and his fans a "public" apology -- which is precisely what he delivered. What he did not give them were the specific details of what happened -- which he does not owe the public or his fans, despite how addicted they (and the media) might be to getting these details. The media is not demanding these details because this level of honesty is good for Tiger. They are demanding the details because it is good for their business. Moreover, Tiger is wealthy because he is an incredibly gifted athlete. The public gets from Tiger what they pay to see; the media makes a huge profit when Tiger is on their station or in their papers; and large corporations make billions off Tiger's image and endorsements BECAUSE he is a gifted athlete. Everyone gets something. To claim that Tiger somehow OWES these people a more detailed apology than the one he has already offered, when they themselves have profited enormously from Tiger's talent, is a bit of a stretch. What the public deserves is the apology they received -- nothing more. Now, with respect to Tiger's family and his "private" apologies, THEY (and they alone) will demand and certainly deserve a more detailed apology, not us. Most big mistakes require more than one Perfect Apology.
Cheers,
Peter
Tiger Woods has issued a public apology for his "transgressions". This apology is obviously one of several apologies he will continue to work on over the next several weeks, all tailored to deal with the specific pain, financial cost and personal trauma his errors in judgement have caused. Subsequent apologies will be going out to each member of his immediate family, his Mother, the charity that would have benefited from his presence at the Chevron World Challenge, his sponsors, friends, neighbors, and perhaps many others. When you're this famous your mistakes have ripple effects that touch many more people. These apologies, as Tiger explains, are very personal and will require time. With these caveats in mind, the ONLY apology the Perfect Apology team (http://www.perfectapology.com) is prepared to rate at this point is the "public" apology Tiger recently posted on his web page:
"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone....I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology."With respect the ingredients of a Perfect Apology, and in light of what the general public including Tiger's fans) deserve for his "transgression", Tiger's apology is as close to perfect as we could expect without damaging the core principles and values he is trying to defend -- "the right to some simple, human measure of privacy" for him and his family as they work through this crisis. The media will no doubt continue to probe and push for additional details, and create the impression that there are many more mistakes and personal failings here, but they are all a product of the same "transgression" and do not require additional, repeated or more detailed "public" apologies -- Tiger is not a political official whose honesty is directly tied to the responsibilities of public office. Indeed, the motives pushing the media to continue to probe have nothing whatsoever to do with elevating the moral foundations of some important social debate - they have everything to do with generating press, public interest, viewership and, ultimately, money. It's not at all clear to us that these 'principles' are more important than those Tiger is defending in his apology. For these reasons, the Perfect Apology team has rated Tiger's "public" (and only his public) apology a 10/10.
