Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick says he’s sorry.  He’s sorry he lied to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell.  He’s sorry he deceived Falcon team owner Arthur Blank.  He’s sorry he let down his teammates, fans and even kids who might view him as a role model.  And he’s sorry he used bad judgment.  All of these sentiments were expressed in a four and one-half minute news conference on the day Vick formally plead guilty in federal court to his role in a well publicized dog-fighting scandal.  He did not take questions from reporters.

 

While most executives and business owners may rightly feel they will never be accused of anything as heinous as the crimes Michael Vick has pleaded guilty to, the Vick case does offer lessons to businesses and executives who find themselves guilty of poor behavior.  Michael Vick the brand has been badly if not fatally broken.  Michael Vick the business consists of a 10 year contract with the Falcons for $130-million.  He also had millions in other endorsements including a deal with Nike that has since been nixed.  A lot of businesses would love to have that sort of earning power.  Michael Vick, like any business with a damaged reputation, must take some very carefully considered steps in order to recover even a portion of past glory.

 

On the road to redemption, is saying you’re “sorry” enough?  If Michael Vick is only sorry that he was caught, his opportunity for forgiveness will be nil.  His apology must appear to be earnest.  At least from appearances, Vick succeeded.  He spoke in his brief news conference without notes.  Vick himself acknowledged his shortcomings as a speaker at the start of delivering his statement to the media.  His posture, his expression, his gestures, his vocal tone all said he was delivering his message with sincerity.  And while he tended to repeat himself, he was clear in his words that he was remorseful.

 

“I apologize for all the things I’ve done and allowed to happen,” Vick said during his news conference.

But is this enough?

In an article from the Harvard Business Review (“When Should a Leader Apologize?” April 1, 2006) Barbara Kellerman says an apology “is a performance in which every expression matters and every word becomes part of the public record.”

 

Kellerman, who lectures at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, goes on to say, “A full apology includes acknowledgment of the offense, acceptance of responsibility, an expression of regret and a promise not to repeat the offense.”

 

How well does Vick score on Kellerman’s test?  He comes close to a perfect score.  In addition to his apology, Vick repeatedly said that he would “not point the finger” or blame others for his predicament.  In addition to accepting responsibility he also expressed regret.  What would have made Vick’s performance and apology more effective? His words were a good start, but they must be followed by actions.

 

First, he should leave Jesus on the sidelines for now.  When Vick said he would, “Turn my life over to God. That’s the right thing to do right now.”  It sounded disingenuous.  And it has become a predictable part of a celebrity apology.

 

Paris Hilton played this card with TV interviewer Larry King after her release from jail.  It fell flat when King asked “What’s your favorite Bible passage?”

 

The heiress responded, “I don’t have a favorite, but…” and never fully answered.

 

In Vick’s case, his crime was unthinkable cruelty to animals.  Going beyond the prescribed ingredients for a successful apology, Vick needed to have a clear positive message that more directly addressed his transgression.  While he did say that “Dog fighting is a terrible thing and I reject it,” he should have gone one step farther by stating he would become a champion for animal welfare.

The American public is very forgiving.  There are countless examples where people and corporations have come forth with apologies.

• David Neeleman the now-former CEO of JetBlue acknowledged responsibility and then apologized on what seemed like every news and talk show in America on February 20^th for his airline’s bungling of a Valentine’s Day blizzard in the east.  In this case thousands of passengers were stranded or left to sit on airplanes for hours on end.  The message beyond the apology was the airline’s creation of a Passengers Bill of Rights and a promise to fix the system so this wouldn’t happen again.

• The CEO of Mattel Bob Eckert apologized to parents and the nation saying his company was taking unprecedented steps to insure that the toys his company sells are safe, including steps to inspect materials and toys at their point of assembly in

  China.  Mattel also recalled hundreds of thousands of toys that could potentially poison or harm children.

• Even Oprah Winfrey once had to say she was “sorry.”   In this case it was for supporting disgraced author James Frey when it was clear his best selling book “A Million Little Pieces” was in large part fiction when it had been sold as a first hand account of his troubled life.  Before the revelations Oprah had helped turn Frey’s book in to a nationwide best seller.  Not only did Oprah apologize, her clear message to her viewers was “the truth does matter.”  She still has clips on her website from the day she skewered Frey on national television and asked for forgiveness.

It is important to note that redemption is not always guaranteed and it is very likely to take time.  In Michael Vick’s case it will likely take lots and lots of time.  But Americans love comeback stories. In the end, as celebrated as this horrible story is, it could be superseded by a story of true redemption.  That opportunity for Vick is there.  It only starts with saying that you are sorry.