When Should a Leader Apologize and When Not？

Why Difficult？

When we wrong someone we know，even not intentionally，we are generally expected to apologize so as to improve the situation. But when we’re acting as leaders，the circumstances are different. The act of apology is carried out not only at the level of the individual but also at the level of the institution. It is a performance in which every expression matters and every word becomes part of the public record. Refusing to apologize can be smart，or it can be stupid. So，readiness to apologize can be seen as a sign of strong character or as a sign of weakness. A successful apology can turn hate into personal and organizational harmony—while an apology that is too little，too late，or too obviously strategic can bring on individual and institutional ruin. What，then，is to be done？How can leaders decide if and when to apologize publicly？

Why Now？

The question of whether leaders should apologize publicly has never been more urgent. During the last decade or so，the United States in particular has developed an apology culture—apologies of all kinds and for all sorts of wrongdoings are made far more frequently than before. More newspaper writers have written about the growing importance of public apologies. More articles，cartoons，advice columns，and radio and television programs have similarly dealt with the subject of private apologies.

Why Bother？

Why do we apologize？Why do we ever put ourselves in situations likely to be difficult，embarrassing，and even risky？Leaders who apologize publicly could be an easy target. They are expected to appear strong and capable. And whenever they make public statements of any kind，their individual and institutional reputations are in danger. Clearly，then，leaders should not apologize often or lightly. For a leader to express apology，there needs to be a good，strong reason. Leaders will publicly apologize if and when they think the costs of doing so are lower than the costs of not doing so.

Why Refuse？

Why is it that leaders so often refuse to apologize，even when a public apology seems to be in order？Their reasons can be individual or institutional. Because leaders are public figures，their apologies are likely to be personally uncomfortable and even professionally risky. Leaders may also be afraid that the admission of a mistake will damage or destroy the organization for which they are responsible. There can be good reasons for hanging tough in tough situations，as we shall see，but it is a high-risk strategy.

―→·Public apology is much more than a(an)   　72　    act.

·It’s no    　73　   job to strike a balance between apologizing or not.

·Apologies not    　74　    offered can bring on individual and institutional ruin.

―→     ·In an    　76　， admission of all sorts of wrongdoings is more required than before.

·The    　77　  of public apologies has been widely reported in the mass media.

―→ ·Being public figures， leaders are supposed to appear    　78　.

·There needs to be a sufficient reason for a leader to    　79　    in public.―→ ·Making apologies is likely to be personally uncomfortable and   　80　.

·Admission of a mistake or wrongdoing will probably do    　81　   to their organization.

短文改错  （每小题1分，共10分，注意格式 ）

此题要求改正所给短文中的错误。对标有题号的每一行做出判断：如无错误，在该行右边横线上画一个勾(√)；如有错误（每行只有一个错误），则按下列情况改正：

此行多一个词：把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉，在该行右边横线上写出该词，并也用斜线划掉。此行缺一个词：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，在该行右边横线上写出该加的词。此行错一个词：在错的词下划一横线，在该行右边横线上写出改正后的词。注意：原行没有错的不要改。

At the age of fourteen Bell sent to London to                                         1._________

live for a year with his grandfather, that took good care                      2._________

of him. A year late young Bell returned to Scotland. 　　　　　　　　 3._________

After working for time with his father, he began teaching 　　　　　　 4._________

speech at a school. His free time was devoted to study　　　　　　    5._________

sound.Before he studied the human voice and the　　　　　　　　      6._________

vibrations（振动）that goes to make up sound, he found that the 　      7._________

voice is not a simple thing. So he continued on with his 　　　　　　    8._________

studies and his teaching until at the age of twenty-third 　　　　　       9._________

he moved with his family to Canada. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　10._________