A strong apology can make or break a company when it’s facing a reputational crisis, according to Sandra J. Sucher, a professor at Harvard Business School, and Shalene Gupta, a research associate at Harvard Business School. When crafting a public apology, companies should answer three questions. The first is "Do we tell the truth?" Doing so can instill confidence in your audience, and lets them know you know what went wrong. The second is "On whose behalf are we acting?" The people who were harmed should feel like their needs are being addressed. Finally, "How do our actions benefit those who trust us?" Leaders must convince people that the company can truly fix the problem. Trust is not as fragile as people think — it's not black and white. Research shows that it's nuanced and multi-dimensional, that it waxes and wanes. And with an effective apology (and a lot of work), it can be regained.

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