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Please Accept My Sincerest Apologies: Examining Follower Reactions to Leader Apology

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  • Tessa Basford
  • Lynn Offermann
  • Tara Behrend

Abstract

Recognizing gaps in our present understanding of leader apologies, this investigation examines how followers appraise leader apologies and how these perceptions impact work-related outcomes. Results indicate that followers who viewed their leader as trustworthy or caring before a leader wrongdoing were more likely to perceive their leader’s apology to be sincere, as compared to followers who previously doubted their leader’s trustworthiness and caring. Attributions of apology sincerity affected follower reactions, with followers perceiving sincere apologies reporting greater trust in leadership, satisfaction with supervision, leader–member exchange quality, affective organizational commitment, and forgiveness than those reporting insincere or no apologies. A mediation model was supported, showing that attributions of apology sincerity fostered perceptions of humility, which enhanced perceptions of transformational leadership, and consequently garnered more positive follower reactions. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Tessa Basford & Lynn Offermann & Tara Behrend, 2014. "Please Accept My Sincerest Apologies: Examining Follower Reactions to Leader Apology," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(1), pages 99-117, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:119:y:2014:i:1:p:99-117
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1613-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ismail, Azman & Mohamed, Hasan Al-Banna & Sulaiman, Ahmad Zaidi & Mohamad, Mohd Hamran & Yusuf, Munirah Hanim, 2011. "An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Transformational Leadership, Empowerment and Organizational Commitment," Business and Economics Research Journal, Uludag University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 2(1), pages 1-89, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Leon Windscheid & Lynn Bowes-Sperry & Karsten Jonsen & Michèle Morner, 2018. "Managing Organizational Gender Diversity Images: A Content Analysis of German Corporate Websites," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(4), pages 997-1013, November.
    2. Xin Qin & Xin Liu & Jacob A. Brown & Xiaoming Zheng & Bradley P. Owens, 2021. "Humility Harmonized? Exploring Whether and How Leader and Employee Humility (In)Congruence Influences Employee Citizenship and Deviance Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 147-165, April.
    3. So Young Lee & Yoon Hi Sung & Dongwon Choi & Dong Hoo Kim, 2021. "Surviving a Crisis: How Crisis Type and Psychological Distance Can Inform Corporate Crisis Responses," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(4), pages 795-811, February.
    4. Steven L. Grover & Marie-Aude Abid-Dupont & Caroline Manville & Markus C. Hasel, 2019. "Repairing Broken Trust Between Leaders and Followers: How Violation Characteristics Temper Apologies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 853-870, March.
    5. Nicholas DiFonzo & Anthony Alongi & Paul Wiele, 2020. "Apology, Restitution, and Forgiveness After Psychological Contract Breach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 53-69, January.
    6. Tuan, Luu Trong, 2020. "Coach humility and player creativity: The roles of knowledge sharing and group diversity," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 284-301.
    7. Xiaoshuang Lin & Zhen Xiong Chen & Herman H. M. Tse & Wu Wei & Chao Ma, 2019. "Why and When Employees Like to Speak up More Under Humble Leaders? The Roles of Personal Sense of Power and Power Distance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 937-950, September.
    8. Ryan Kirkland, Julia C. & Edwards, Bryan D. & Flaherty, Karen E., 2021. "The effect of honest and humble leadership on salesperson customer orientation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 49-58.
    9. Michael J. Wynes, 2022. "“Just Say You’re Sorry”: Avoidance and Revenge Behavior in Response to Organizations Apologizing for Fraud," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 129-151, June.
    10. Yan Wan & Yifan Zhang & Fengting Wang & Yufei Yuan, 2023. "Retailer response to negative online consumer reviews: how can damaged trust be effectively repaired?," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 37-53, March.
    11. K. Michele Kacmar & Reginald Tucker, 2016. "The Moderating Effect of Supervisor’s Behavioral Integrity on the Relationship between Regulatory Focus and Impression Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 87-98, April.
    12. Ma, Ruijing & Wang, Weisha, 2021. "Smile or pity? Examine the impact of emoticon valence on customer satisfaction and purchase intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 443-456.
    13. Krista Hill & David Boyd, 2015. "Who Should Apologize When an Employee Transgresses? Source Effects on Apology Effectiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 163-170, August.
    14. Elias L Khalil & Nick Feltovich, 2018. "Moral licensing, instrumental apology and insincerity aversion: Taking Immanuel Kant to the lab," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, November.

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