Assertive Humility
An apology can lower defensiveness when it owns the speaker's contribution without demanding forgiveness or agreement. Assertive humility means initiating repair by admitting one's contribution to the problem. The apology is not meant to w…
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An apology can lower defensiveness when it owns the speaker's contribution without demanding forgiveness or agreement. Assertive humility means initiating repair by admitting one's contribution to the problem. The apology is not meant to win an argument but to acknowledge that the adult contributed to the teen feeling unseen or attacked. An unsolicited heartfelt apology is presented as a practical tool for disarming defensiveness.