For many people, saying “I’m sorry” after certain situations, even those that don’t require an apology, is second nature. But over-apologizing can backfire, especially in the workplace: It can make others think less of you, lower your self-esteem, and water down the impact of future apologies
The habit can come from a place of insecurity, and it can be especially common among women and people of color, says to Patrice Williams Lindo, CEO of Career Nomad, a career consulting firm.
“We are taught culturally, especially from a Black woman’s perspective, to be super humble and to downplay our wins. That’s how I was raised,” Lindo says. “It was a problem to be prideful in the way you spoke about yourself and your accomplishments. So we feel inadequate and insecure.”
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