**How to Repair After You’ve Messed Up (And Why Your Team Needs This Skill Now More Than Ever)**

Every leader will get it wrong at some point. Not because they’re careless or unqualified, but because they’re human. And yet, most workplaces treat mistakes like they’re radioactive. People scramble to defend themselves, bury the tension, or quietly hope time will smooth everything over.

But time doesn’t repair anything. Skill does.

In my work with organizations, I see the same pattern again and again: Teams don’t break down because someone made a mistake. They break down because no one knew how to come back from it.

Repair is the leadership move that separates reactive cultures from resilient ones.

A solid repair has three parts:

1. Take responsibility without spiraling. No dramatic apologies. No self-flagellation. No long explanations that blur the point. Just a grounded acknowledgment of impact. “I missed the mark, and I see how that affected the team.”

This is accountability with clarity, not shame.

2. Get curious about the other person’s experience. Repair requires listening that doesn’t rush to defend or justify. Ask real questions. “What did that moment feel like on your end?” “What support did you need that wasn’t there?”

Curiosity turns conflict into connection.

3. Commit to a small, meaningful shift. Not a personality overhaul. A practical adjustment that people can actually feel. “I’ll slow the decision-making process next time.” “I’ll check assumptions instead of operating on autopilot.”

This is where trust gets rebuilt, one observable shift at a time.

Organizations that master repair don’t avoid mistakes. They metabolize them. They turn missteps into momentum. They create cultures where people feel safe enough to be honest and brave enough to grow.

If your team struggles to recover after conflict, or if your leaders want tools that move them from reactivity to resilience, this is the work I bring into every keynote, workshop, and retreat.

When leaders learn to repair well, everything changes: morale, communication, performance, and the daily experience of the people you serve.

If you’re looking for a speaker who can help your audience build the emotional skills that make workplaces stronger, I’d be honored to support your next event.