Apologies...

A long time ago my dad did something I'll never forget.

He felt the owner of a small auto repair shop had ripped him off by charging him hundreds of dollars for unneeded parts. My dad took the shop owner to small claims court, and won.

Dad invited me to the payoff in a restaurant parking lot. The owner wrote the check and handed it to my dad.

"I don't want your check," my dad said.

"Huh?" the owner responded. "I'm not paying you one red cent more!"

"I don't want your check," my dad repeated, "I want your apology."

After some hemming and hawing the owner apologized. And my dad tore up the check.

"I never want to hear you've done that to anyone else," my dad said handing him the pieces. The owner was dumbstruck.

That shop is no longer in business.

News reports abound lately about the lack of business and personal integrity. It's sad.

Mistakes happen. People fail. But it's how a person takes responsibility that defines them, not the failures.

Takeaway: What's your business policy on apologies? Sometimes taking responsibility and saying your sorry can go a long way to maintaining a business relationship. And your integrity.