To me, an apology has three parts. They are as follows: 1. Say, "I'm sorry." I remember learning to say "I'm sorry" in elementary school. The students would have to apologize to whoever they did wrong. Then, the teacher would ask, "Now, what are you sorry for?" That's a tough question for an elementary school student. It's also a tough question for adults. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) calls the "what I'm sorry for" part, acknowledgment. That means you have to admit that you did something wrong. In addition, IHI states that you should offer an explanation for what you did. "That happened because I engaged in this behavior and/or because I made a mistake." The actual "I'm sorry" portion of the response is what IHI calls remorse. That means, that you feel bad that you hurt or injured or caused someone else some kind of discomfort. 2. Promising to do better in the future. To me, an apo
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