In today’s needull former Medtronic CEO Arthur D. Collins, Jr. discusses how honest apologies can help leaders redeem their credibility.
Collins cited Johnson & Johnson’s response during the Tylenol contamination incident of 1982 when then CEO James Burke took personal responsibility for an unknown saboteur’s work, launched a nationwide recall and returned to market with tamper-proof packing to reclaim and strengthen the company’s reputation. Collins also praised General Motors CEO Mary Barra for apologizing in 2014 in the case of faulty ignition switches. “She did it in a very specific way: It was timely; she showed genuine remorse for the resulting injuries and any lives lost, and she came out of that in a much better situation.”
Needull in a haystack 