Recovery From Public And Private Mistakes:Apology Reduces Leader Avoidance Of Followers

Previous studies on the effectiveness of apologies have been mixed at best, but apology continues to be a popular strategy for recovering from mistakes. Apology may be especially important for leaders, who must continue to work with followers despite the damage that mistakes can cause for their relationships. Using Ren & Gray’s (2009) theoretical framework as a guide, this study examined the recovery methods that leaders chose after public and private mistakes and the resulting level of avoidance of their followers. A field sample of 278 leaders and a lab study of 92 participants in leadership roles suggest that leaders are more likely to apologize for mistakes that occur in public rather than in private contexts, and leaders who apologize are less likely to avoid their followers after the mistake. The implications of these findings and the need to extend theory to include context are also discussed.