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Why Are Some Mails More Difficult to Write?
“Which Are They And How to Write Them?”
How difficult it is for you to apologize? To deliver bad news? Or to write a complaint? These three types of messages are the most difficult to write or to say, so to speak.
At this point, let’s have a look at how to apologize in writing properly. If you already know how to inform, e.g. an invitation to a meeting, giving instructions about something … (if not click here), you must completely ignore it when you want to apologize.
Why?
Because you never start an apology saying: »Jack, I am really sorry for what happened yesterday.«
What you do at the beginning of the message is to explain briefly how the mistake happened. When you do this show that you care with an emphatic statement. Afterwards, apologize. What follows is a reassurance of the reader that you have taken action to prevent things like that happening again, but do not tell them that they won’t happen again. It’s an empty promise and it’s much easier writing it than keeping it. Conclude the apology by suggesting a positive future action, add a goodwill statement about relationships in future or mention any other action, which takes the reader into the future, which has got nothing to do with the incident.
Above all – be honest when apologizing, because if you don’t really want to do it, you feel it’s out of place, the effect will be the »double trouble« one.
What mistakes often occur at writing apologies?
- an apology appears immediately at the beginning;
- people apologize twice, three times, when they should only do it once;
- the apology is prominently placed at the end of the e-mail;
- the writer blames someone else for the situation, lacks empathy and honesty, makes empty promises;
An example of an apology:
I’ll get back to you in a few days to tell you how to deliver bad news and write a complaint.
