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© by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. 
Visit  www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com. 

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Skip the Apology: Retain Your Credibility

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

An accomplished physician and researcher from Puerto Rico was presenting at a conference of her peers in the United States.  “First,” the doctor began, “I want to apologize for my English.”

Sitting in the audience, I wanted to rewind the tape and skip the apology.  Like other speech coaches, I advise against apologizing in a speech—especially during the introduction. 

A primary goal of an introduction is to establish the speaker’s credibility.  To begin with an apology is to begin by undermining your own credibility.  Not only did the doctor’s apology expose a lack of confidence, it diverted attention from her expertise.  The apology was entirely unnecessary—the doctor’s skills as a clinician and a researcher had earned her the right to present.

It is appropriate to acknowledge an obvious difference that might distract audience members from your content, something like a heavy accent or the presence of a wheelchair.  The doctor might have begun, “I’ve come from Puerto Rico to report significant findings from my research.  These findings may impact your clinical practice in substantial ways.  As we work together today, you might notice that English is not my first language.  Sometimes my brain goes faster in Spanish than my tongue can translate.  Thank you for your patience.”

Acknowledge differences, but skip the apology.  Your credibility depends
on it.

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2011 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

When it’s time to create “killer content” in a book or speech that establishes credibility and boosts your revenue, Bonnie Budzowski is the perfect resource.  An expert in communication, Bonnie specializes in coaching authors and speakers to organize & express thoughts in ways that capture attention, sell their ideas, and move people to action.  Bonnie helps her clients build content with less time and angst than they dream possible. 

Bonnie Budzowski is Founder of inCredible Messages, Past President of the National Speakers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter, and Past Managing Editor of Speaker Magazine.

If you’d like to sell your ideas, boost your influence, or advance your career through a book or presentation, call Bonnie at 412-828-1629, bonnie@inCredibleMessages.com or visit her website at www.inCredibleMessages.com. 

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