Own it, but don’t over‑own it

A simple three‑part apology: impact, fix, and check.

Test your conflict EQ

Why this works

Clear impact plus a fix and a quick check ends the issue faster than long explanations.

Try these drills

Name it to tame it (30 seconds)

30 seconds
  1. Notice the emotion in one word.
  2. Say quietly: 'I feel …'.
  3. Let the label lower the intensity by about 10 percent.

Outcome: Lower reactivity; more choice.

Mechanism: Putting a word to a feeling quiets the brain's alarm system, so the feeling feels smaller and you can choose better.

Scripts

Clean apology

  • you: I missed the expectation and that affected your timeline. I will do X by end of day and add Y check. Anything else you need?

Why this works: Owning impact plus a concrete fix restores trust faster than excuses or vague promises.

What to measure

  • fewer escalations
  • time to agreement
  • post meeting sentiment

FAQ

Will these scripts sound robotic?

They are templates. Use your own words. Simple beats clever.

What if the other person gets upset?

Return to a short summary, name the impact, and suggest the next step.

Ready to get started?

Test your conflict EQ