An interesting tidbit via Christy Tucker--Apparently there's a direct correlation between your income and your willingness to apologize. According to a study published in Forbes:
People earning over $100,000 a year are almost twice as likely to apologize after an argument or mistake as those earning $25,000 or less, the survey found. Respondents were asked to identify themselves as belonging to one of a set of income ranges. They were also asked whether they would apologize in three situations: when they felt they were entirely to blame for a problem; when they thought they were only partly at fault; and when they believed they were blameless.
No one is quite sure why this occurs. Some speculate it's because high earners are more secure in their positions and therefore more comfortable making mistakes. Others think it might be the "It's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission" style that higher salaried people can get away with. Or it just may be that a willingness to say "I'm sorry" is a sign of better people skills, which will tend to earn you a promotion. Regardless, it seems that apologies can get you more money.
I would be curious to know if there are gender differences in this. In my experience, apologies come pretty easily to women and, at times, are perceived as "weakness." I wonder if there's a stronger statistical correlation for men than for women. What do you think?
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