“Never apologize, mister. It’s a sign of weakness”
—John Wayne in “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”
Infamously borrowed by TV’s NCIS Leroy Jethro Gibbs as Rule #6: “Never apologize. It’s a sign of weakness.” This rule is used more often than any other rule in the show and widely repeated by fans.
Never Apologize or accept guilt for a wrongful act unless it is absolutely necessary. Niccolo Machiavelli had similar advice back in the 1400’s.
Thanks for the reminder about “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”. I thought it was one of the John Ford Trilogy but memory did not completely serve me, so I punted. Still, it is one of my favorite quotes. As for NCIS, I must admit I have never seen it.
I worked on security staff at a festival once upon a time. I was guarding the backstage gate and told some folks “I’m sorry , you can’t go back there without a pass.” My supervisor was nearby and he said “Ichabod, never apologize for doing your job.” I took it to heart and do my best to avoid apologizing - even if I made a mistake - if I did it in the act of doing my job to the best of my ability. I still have to do it sometimes, but not often. I don’t like it because it concedes the point and can result in consequences down the road.