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This is the presentation slides, titled "Apologies: from a language of 'losers' to 'leaders', delivered to a group of students @ Ewha Womans Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation on October 8th, 2010.
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apologies:from a language of ‗losers‘ to ‗leaders‘
October 8th, 2010
Presented for
Ewha Womans Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation
by
Hoh Kim, Founder & Head Coach @ THE LAB h®
(twitter: @hoh/[email protected])
1Hoh Kim 2010
story one
2Hoh Kim 2010
Dr. Das Gupta, the 74-year-old chairman of surgical
oncology at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago,made a serious mistake. He ―opened up a patient andremoved the wrong sliver of tissue, in this case a segment of theeighth rib instead of the ninth…‖
If you were Dr. Das Gupta…,
how would you handle this?
Source: ―Doctors Say ‗I‘m Sorry‘ Before ‗See You in Court‘‖ (NYT.com, by Kevin Sack, May 18, 2008)
3Hoh Kim 2010
―deny and defend‖a typical malpractice lawyer‘s advice
But, Dr. Das Gupta did something remarkable…
4Hoh Kim 2010
Source: ―Doctors Say ‗I‘m Sorry‘ Before ‗See You in Court‘‖ (NYT.com, by Kevin Sack, May 18, 2008)
―After all these years, I cannot give you any excuse whatsoever…It is just one of those things that occurred. I have to some extent harmed you.‖
Dr. Das Gupta, a highly regarded cancer surgeon, acknowledged his mistake to his patient‘s face,
and sincerely apologized
5Hoh Kim 2010
Source: ―Doctors Say ‗I‘m Sorry‘ Before ‗See You in Court‘‖ (NYT.com, by Kevin Sack, May 18, 2008)
The results of the apologies?
the patient…:
• retained a lawyer but decided not to sue;
• after a brief negotiation, accepted $74,000 from the hospital
―She told me that the doctor was completely candid, completely
honest, and so frank that she and her husband — usually the
husband wants to pound the guy — that all the anger was gone,”
(David J. Pritchard, the patient‘s lawyer)
6Hoh Kim 2010
Source: ―Doctors Say ‗I‘m Sorry‘ Before ‗See You in Court‘‖ (NYT.com, by Kevin Sack, May 18, 2008)
the results: when an organization adopts a new approach of conflict resolution using apologies…
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½Within the first two years, malpractice filings against the University of Illinois has dropped by half
1/37In the 37 cases where the hospital acknowledged a preventable error and apologized, only one patient has filed suit.
Source: ―Doctors Say ‗I‘m Sorry‘ Before ‗See You in Court‘‖ (NYT.com, by Kevin Sack, May 18, 2008)
story two
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98,000 vs. 3,000
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(Institute of Medicine, US, 1999) (9/11)
Korea?
• 14,000 (7,000)
• 7,600 (deaths result from traffic accidents - #5)
before vs. after ‗disclosure‘ program @ U of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
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262
220193
155
11483
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2007
Number of claims and lawsuits against U of Mich. Health System
U of Mich.
disclosure program introduced
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before vs. after ‗disclosure‘ program @ U of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
August 2001 August 2005
Annual litigation cost
3 million USD 1 million USD
Average time to resolution of claims and lawsuits
20.7 months 9.5 months
How disclosure program works?
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Step Action Remarks
#1: Initial Disclosure & Apology
―We are sorry this happened We feel bad as we are sure you do too.‖; ―We are going to do a thorough investigation…as we learn things, so will you.‖Contact informationHelp with phone calls, food, lodging, clergy, etc.
Approach, do NOT avoidCustomer service frameworkEmpathy only at this stageCommunicate what you know (what, when, where vs. why, how, who)
#2: Thorough& Transparent Investigation
Involve outside experts…don‘t want to look like you‘re grading your own papers!; Move quickly –UI Medical Center in 72 hours or less; Stay in close contact with patient/family
Open, NOT closed-approachDoctors or lawyers from patient‘s side
#3: Resolution-Error
Apologize, Admit Fault, Compensate
#3: Resolution-No error
Empathize, Answer Questions, Open Records, Prove Innocence, Never Settle
Three principles of disclosure @ U of Mich.
• Compensate quickly and fairly when inappropriate medical care causes injury.
• Defend medically appropriate care vigorously.
• Reduce patient injuries (and therefore claims) by learning from mistakes.
- source: Univ. of Michigan Disclosure Program
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Major hospitals with disclosure program
• VA hospital/all VA hospitals
• University of Michigan
• University of Illinois Medical Center
• Stanford University and Harvard Teaching Hospitals
• Kaiser hospitals (28 hospitals)
• Minneapolis Children‘s
• Catholic Healthcare West (40 hospitals)
• COPIC
• Catholic Health Initiatives
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State apology-immunity laws
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Status States
Enacted (34) AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, LA, ME, MD, MA, MO, MT, NE, NH, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WY
States not enacted (16)
AL, AK, AR, IA, KA, KY, MI, MN, MS, NV, NJ, NM, PA, RI, WI
―The current tort system does not promote open communication to improve patient
safety. On the contrary, it jeopardizes patient safety by creating an intimidating liability
environment.‖
Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Barack Obama, ―Making Patient Safety the Centerpiece of Medical Liability Reform,‖
New England Journal of Medicine (May 25, 2006)
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why?context of apologies
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Why? – personal context• A conclusion of my crisis communication
management consulting/coaching experience for the last 12+ years
• ―The other half of crisis management for medical doctors‖ (The Korean Ophthalmological Society Newsletter, Sept. 2007)
• Doug Wojcieszak @ SorryWorks! Coalition – Train the trainer (St. Louis, 2007. 10)
• Co-translated ―SORRY WORKS!‖ (with three MDs)
• Co-write ―Leaders‘ apologies (tentative title, with Dr. Jaeseung Jeong, to be published 1Q of 2011)
Hoh Kim 2010 18
Why? – social context
• Transparency: ―virtually everyone has a camera and recorder 24 hours a day‖
• “Power shift”: from traditional organization to individuals (social media impact)
• Responsibility: corporate social responsibility
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Anything common?
Hoh Kim 2010 20
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Chosun.com
NYT.com
Data gathered: 1) ―Public apology (Kong-gae-sa-gwa)‖ in chosun.com; 2) ―Public apology, apologize, and apology‖ in nyt.com
21Hoh Kim
Trend: Public apologies in Korea and the U.S.
0
100
200
300
400
김영삼 김대중 노무현 이명박
News
Blog (x 00)
22
News (headline search only) and blog post search by Naver using ―사과,김영삼,‖ ―사과, 김대중,‖ ―사과, 노무현,‖ and ―사과, 이명박‖ were conducted April 18, 2010
Hoh Kim
Trend (Korea): ―Presidential‖ apologies
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Clinton Bush Obama
News
Blog (x000)
23
News and blog search by Google using ―apology, clinton,‖ ―apology, bush,‖ and ―apology, obama‖ were conducted April 18, 2010
Hoh Kim
Trend (the U.S.): ―Presidential‖ apologies
what?‗languages‘ of apologies
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―I‘m sorry‖ is not really an apology.
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Languages Examples/Remarks
Regret ―I‘m sorry‖
Account What are you sorry for?
Responsibility ―I made a mistake,‖ ―It was my fault‖
Repetition ―I will never…‖
Recovery action/Compensation
Financial vs. non-financial
Forgiveness ―Will you forgive me?‖
―Sorry seems to be the hardest word‖?(Elton John, released in 1976)
Sorry seems to be the easiest apologetic language.
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when?timing of apologies
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―Too late‖: Jung Ji-young‘s case
• <Don‘t eat the marshmallow yet>
• Too late (the translation issue was raised on Oct. 11th, 2006, but, she apologized in the night of Oct. 19th, 2006)
• Too much silence…
• Legally ―not guilty‖ vs. reputation/career
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―Better late than early‖?(Cynthia McPherson Frantz & Courtney Bennigson, 2005,
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology)
• Victim‘s satisfaction level: Later apology > early apology > no apology
• Voice and understanding (―more time to feel heard and understood‖) is critical before apology
• Timing of personal vs. public apologies
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where?channels of apologies
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face to face is the best(1:1 situation)
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Use of Youtube for ‗one to many‘ public apologies on social media
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Domino pizza: Patrick Doyle (2009. 4) – 750,000 viewed on Youtube
jetBlue: David Neelman, (ex-) CEO (2007. 2) – 360,000 viewed on Youtube
Benefits of video apologies
• Editing (production)
• Timing (release)
• Search (attention)
Hoh Kim 2010 33
MATTEL Bob Eckert CEO (2007. 8)
Before video apologies
After video apologies
Purchase intention 71% 76%
Trust 75% 84%
Source: HRD Research (August 2007)http://www.mediacurves.com/nationalmediafocus/J6482/
who?whose ‗mouth‘ is better?
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Whose mouth is better?
Mymouth
“Their” mouths
My strengths
OMy weaknesses (mistakes,wrongdoings) O
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―The Pizza Turnaround‖ campaign by Domino‘s Pizza
(stock price of the first half of 2010 went up 70% compared to 2009)
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―Ugly is only skin-deep.‖
(Volkswagen, 1966)
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Avis advertised its weaknesses?11% 35% (within 4 years of campaign)
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How?‗grammar‘ of apologies
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No ‗passive voice‘
• ―classic Washington linguistic construct‖ (New York Times)
• ―Mistakes were made‖ has been used widely– Ronald Reagan (Iran-
Contra scandal)– Sununu, Chief of Staff for
George Bush– Bill Clinton (Fund raising)– Steve Balmer (Microsoft)
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No ‗conditional‘
• ―I am sorry if anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance‖ (media
relations manager for Justin Timberlake)
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―I am sorry if you were hurt by my comment.‖
vs.―I am sorry I hurt you.‖
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Conclusion
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To err is human.
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Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.(Sophia Loren)
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• Every human being makes, small or large, mistakes throughout her/his life.
• Leaders are human beings, and no exception to this rule.
• So, all leaders make mistakes, in the past, present, and future.
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Of course, good leaders will try to prevent
their mistakes/wrongdoings, but, still,
some mistakes/wrongdoings will happen, anyway.
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Then, how to protect your leadership when you already
made a mistake?
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The best way to protect your leadership in front of your mistakes/wrongdoings is
NOT to protect yourself…
Hoh Kim 2010 49
but to protect your relationshipwith ‗the other(s),‘
and right apologies are the languages for you in front of your
mistakes/wrongdoings.
―Understanding when and how to apologize can provide invaluable insights into our relationships with others.‖ (Nick Smith)
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Apology is a new language of ‗leaders,‘ not ‗losers.‘
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apologies:from a language of ‗losers‘ to ‗leaders‘
October 8th, 2010
Presented for
Ewha Womans Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation
by
Hoh Kim, Founder & Head Coach @ THE LAB h®
(twitter: @hoh/[email protected])
52Hoh Kim 2010
