What to say when... you've been called out for a micro-agreession

 What to say when... you've been called out for a micro-aggression.

This is from a Harvard Business Review Management tip of the day:

It was a throwaway remark, and you didn’t mean to offend. But now that a colleague has brought the slight to your attention, you realize what you said was hurtful. So how should you respond after committing a microaggression? First, make sure the other person feels heard. Your instinct may be to defend yourself — or your comment — but this isn’t about you. You can be a good, well-intentioned person who said something offensive. Follow your colleague’s lead in the conversation, and be curious and empathetic. Offer a sincere apology that expresses gratitude for their trust and acknowledges the impact and harm your comment caused. Say something like: “Thank you for telling me. I appreciate that you trust me enough to share this feedback. I’m sorry that what I said was offensive.” Be sure to keep it short and to the point. Don’t over-apologize or try to engage your colleague in a drawn-out conversation. Finally, commit to doing better in the future. Say, “I care about creating an inclusive workplace, and I want to improve. Please keep holding me accountable.” Then, do the work of striving to be better. It requires grace, humility, and commitment.