Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust (Bk Business) [Paperback]

John Kador (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bk Business | Publication Date: May 1, 2009

Progress is made one apology at a time

Politicians apologizing, celebrities needing to apologize, and business leaders failing at the attempt fill today's headlines. But we don't need more apologies, says John Kador. We need more effective ones that restore strained relationships, create possibilities for growth, and generate better outcomes for all.

"Effective Apology" challenges you to think about the fundamental value of an apology, to you and the receiver, as it explores in detail the key dimensions--what Kador calls the Five Rs--of a wholehearted apology, one that heals and renews. Kador also offers advice on how to accept or reject an apology, ten apology dos and don'ts, and a quiz to test your Apology Quotient.

With over 70 examples of the good, the bad, and the ineffective apology in action, no other book combines such a practical, how-to approach with a rich analysis of what it takes to make an apology work.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Effective Apology

"This book gives you the essentials for crafting apologies that work at work. John Kador shares some of the practical, proven approaches to apology that every manager should master."
--Lee Iacocca, former Chairman and CEO, Chrysler Motors Corp.

"Nothing about apology is easy. But this vital, optimistic book helps us transform setbacks into opportunities for rebuilding relationships based on accountability and transparency."
--Christine Comaford, CEO, Mighty Ventures, and author of the New York Times bestseller Rules for Renegades

"Effective Apology is the sort of book I wish I'd read years ago...the definitive guide to using two simple words--I'm sorry--to improve our lives and ennoble our world."
--Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind

About the Author

John Kador has been a professional writer for over thirty years. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Manager's Book of Questions: 1,001 Great Interview Questions for Hiring the Right Person, Charles Schwab: How One Company Beat Wall Street and Reinvented the Brokerage Industry, and Net Ready: Strategies for Success in the E-conomy (with John Sifonis and Amir Hartman). He also provides a range of corporate writing services to clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Adecco, and IBM.

Product Details

• Paperback: 273 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576759016
• ISBN-13: 978-1576759011
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #637,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John's latest book is Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust. Learn more at www.effectiveapology.com


John is an author, consultant, and speaker who acts as if every word is a moral choice. His work centers on identifying and describing best practices in leadership and promoting the highest standards of personal accountability, humility, and transparency. This book, which describes the benefits that leaders accrue when they embrace apology rather than shy from it, is squarely in that tradition. His personal credo is that different is not always better, but better is always different.

He is the author of over 10 books, including Charles Schwab: How One Company Beat Wall Street and Reinvented the Brokerage Industry , 50 High-Impact Speeches & Remarks: Proven Words You Can Adapt for Any Business Occasion, and the NY Times bestseller Net Ready: Strategies for Success in the E-conomy (with Amir Hartman and John Sifonis). His career books include The Manager's Book of Questions: 751 Great Questions for Hiring the Best Person, How to Ace the Brainteaser Job Interview, and 201 Best Questions to Ask On Your Interview. As a corporate ghostwriter, John has distinguished himself as a writing partner to a number of Fortune 1000 executives who credit him for his willingness to embrace the hectic and unpredictable schedules of busy executives.

John began his writing career in Washington DC at a high-tech advertising and public relations agency. For the past 30 years he has been the principal of Kador Communications, providing editorial assistance to dozens of corporate and media clients. John's insights have been featured in more than one hundred magazines and newspapers, including The Chicago Tribune, Computerworld, Working Women, and Business to Business. John has columns in Chief Executive, Registered Rep, and Human Resources Executive.

John holds a master's degree in public relations from The American University and an undergraduate degree from Duke University. John was born in Budapest, Hungary. He came to the U.S. when he was six and settled with his family in New York City. John currently lives in Winfield, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Anna Beth Payne, a psychologist at a university counseling center. He has two children, Dan, a software engineer in San Francisco, and Rachel, an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. When he isn't working, he likes to fence, a sport which he has practiced since high school.

To inquire about having John speak about apology at your event or if you have questions about any of his writing services, email him. John welcomes your questions and suggestions about effective apology at www.effectiveapology.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Read, August 18, 2009

By 

Dr. Reed K. Holden (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust (Bk Business) (Paperback)

When I first heard about this book, I thought it might be hard to write an interesting book on apology. Boy John, I'm sorry, I was wrong. We all screw up and too often, we ignore or gloss over an apology. Ineffective apology can undermine our power as a manager and it can weaken our friendships. Lack of apology does worse. John Kador does a terrific job providing a sound foundation of both when we should apologize and how we should do it effectively. He includes plenty of personal and public examples so we can see how people have apologized poorly and how they have done it well. The book comes complete with checklists and simple rules for us all. This is a terrific book--one that all of us should read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very timely!, May 8, 2009

By 

Barry Glicklich - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust (Bk Business) (Paperback)

This book is very timely, and should be required reading for corporate executives,
and is helpful reading for use in all sorts of human relationships.

Since mistakes cannot be completely avoided, this book offers great
insights in how to deal with those mistakes, and how to avoid exacerbating
them with denial, blame-shifting, or excuses.

It's unfortunate that there is such a great need for this book at this time,
but it's fortunate that this book is available, and hopefully will be widely
read and applied.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Book for Today's Business Environment, May 7, 2009

By 

John G. Sifonis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Effective Apology: Mending Fences, Building Bridges, and Restoring Trust (Bk Business) (Paperback)

John Kador's Apology book is yet another insightful book in his numerous publications. It is a great read with numerous "real world" examples and anecdotes. Apologies are never easy nor forthcoming for many people. His bok drives home an underlying message that many of us have forgotten; apologies don't mean you are weak; it just means you are human and have the integrity to admit mistakes. The messages in his book are appropriate to every person whether or not they run a business or just dealing with friends, colleagues, spouses and partners. I would recommend this book as a definite must read. John Sifonis