The right—and wrong—way for bosses to apologize: 'Timing is everything,' says communication expert

That's especially true for bosses and leaders, who sometimes have to make public statements acknowledging missteps or give internal apologies to their employees

Take Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, for example

Some called for his resignation, while others thanked Wilson for his effort

And some viewers noticed identical language in a public apology from American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, who released a statement after a fatal crash on January 29

How bosses should apologizeWilson's statement had several elements of an effective apology

He expressed "deep sorrow" the crash, stated his intention to focus on passengers' loved ones and d a helpline for them to use

He also said that the company was working closely with law enforcement and investigators on emergency response efforts, and to find out the cause of the accident. "When a leader apologizes, they need to take full responsibility by showing they understand what went wrong, and also that they have a path forward to fix what happened and ensure it doesn't happen again," communication consultant and keynote speaker Lorraine K

Lee tells CNBC Make It

Whether you're the CEO of a major airline addressing a tragedy or a middle manager apologizing for something more minor, "timing is everything," adds Lee, who teaches public speaking courses at Stanford. "If you wait too long to respond, you will look you don't care or aren't being active

If you speak too quickly without a plan in place, you can misspeak or lose some credibility," she says. "The best apach is to acknowledge the situation early and let people know you're aware and taking it seriously — and then up soon after with a thoughtful response and a plan of action. "It's also important for other leaders, managers and senior staff, to stay visible and address any issues in a timely way

If you caused a blem at work, get in front of it early and take full ownership instead of being holed up in your office until things blow over or glossing over the situation, says Lee

What bosses should avoidWhen making an apology, a lack of genuine empathy won't fly, Lee warns, whether you're a CEO or a recently moted manager with two direct reports. "Of course it's important to rehearse and be on what you're going to say — but it's just as important to let your human side come through," she says. "The best apologies are when you sound human and show genuine emotion without making it yourself

Vulnerability is completely okay to show. "If it's that you're reading from a telempter or document, if you have a dull, emotionless expression and cadence or if it's obvious you had no actual input in the statement you're giving, people may think you're disingenuous, eroding trust and potentially harming company culture and morale

The same goes for using passive language or not taking ownership of what went wrong

For major CEOs, this can be difficult

Many of them don't write their own public apologies, according to Karthik Srinivasan, a communications strategy consultant. "I know this for sure because I have spent 20+ years in the communications space, a decade of which was in corporate communications where my job was to write such speeches for CEOs and leaders," he wrote in a June 16 blog post

Ultimately, no matter what company a boss or CEO works for, "people want to hear from the leader, not the brand," she says. "When you combine that with a plan, you look a leader who can be trusted, who cares, and who knows what they're doing. "Are you ready to buy a house

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