As “the Weinstein effect” continues, a top official at National Public Radio resigned today amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Here’s the apology from NPR senior vice president of news Michael Oreske:
“I am deeply sorry to the people I hurt. My behavior was wrong and inexcusable, and I accept full responsibility.”
One measure of a good apology is whether it meets the “four R’s:” Regret, Responsibility, Restitution, Refrain from the behavior in the future. This apology does a good job of addressing the first two “R’s,” Regret and Responsibility. He doesn’t mention how he plans to make it up to the victims of his harassment (“Restitution”), nor how he plans to avoid such behavior in the future (“Refrain”). But, to his credit, he also avoids saying some of the extraneous things that undermine the sincerity of public apologies.
It’s a good start.