Here’s your quick-and-easy communication skills training for the day:
The Doppelganger Pass-off
Have you ever lost your temper or embarrassed yourself at work or at home, and then needed to apologize for whatever it is you said or did? You know that sick feeling in your gut that you get when you know you should apologize for something? Well, next time you find yourself in this difficult position, use the Doppelganger Pass-off, and say something like this:
“Hey Charlie (name of the person to whom you’re apologizing), just so you know, there is this crazy person who looks like me and sounds like me who’s going around claiming he IS me. He’s been doing really strange things. Evidently he…(Insert what you did here; For example, “has been sending out rude emails,” or, “got totally out-of-control drunk at the office Christmas party,” or “throws temper tantrums in front of our customers,” or whatever it is you did.). I hope you haven’t seen him, but if you do, please pay no attention to him at all–he’s just a crazy doppelganger.”
(It might help to know that your doppelganger is your ghostly double–at least in German folklore.)
This suggested technique usually lightens the mood while conveying the apology, and if you find it particularly hard to say, “I’m sorry,” this is a great way out of actually apologizing. Generally the minor offense is forgotten while people dwell on the concept of doppelgangers and their possible real existence!
Note: Obviously this tongue-in-cheek approach is appropriate only for little things, or first-time offenses. If, for example, you not only got drunk at the office Christmas party, but then proceeded to hit on the boss’s wife before streaking your way home, you would want to use a more formal and direct approach.
Dan O’Connor–your communication trainer for the day–is a keynote speaker, meeting facilitator, author, and inspirational/motivational speaker. Dan delivers on-site training courses, seminars, and workshops that help your organization transform workplace negativity, deal with difficult customers and coworkers, and improve it’s level of customer service and communication skills. Click here for videos of Dan’s on-site training courses, or click here to contact us.
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