As the manager of a small group, I often collaborate with non-management staff outside my direct team. One individual I work with, “Karl,” stands out for his exceptional capabilities and attention to detail. Karl is highly focused and always goes above and beyond to ensure that tasks are completed accurately and with precision. While his dedication is admirable and crucial for his role, he can sometimes be a bit slow in finalizing tasks, and his intensity may come across as intimidating at times.
Recently, I found myself in a situation where I unintentionally made a thoughtless remark about Karl in a meeting with his supervisor, “Bill.” Despite my positive comments about Karl’s thorough work on a project, I made a jest about his lack of speediness which may have caused offense. Since then, I have noticed Karl avoiding me, indicating that my comment may have been hurtful to him.
Prior to this incident, I had a good working relationship with Karl and valued his contributions. I now regret my inappropriate joke and wish to apologize to him sincerely. I want to convey my appreciation for his exceptional work and repair any damage to our professional relationship.
My dilemma now is how best to approach this situation. Should I directly apologize to Karl by visiting his office and expressing my regret in person? Alternatively, would a more indirect approach, such as sending an email to him and copying his manager to acknowledge his excellent work on the project and express my gratitude, be more appropriate? Regardless, I am committed to addressing this issue and making amends for my insensitive comment.
I address similar concerns in my article on Inc. today, where I revisit past letters and offer updated advice based on new insights. You can read more about it here.
