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BY Art Markman

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If you’re in a public-facing role, you are likely to get caught up in some kind of “hot mic” event in which an offhand remark said in private gets aired publicly. (Indeed, this piece was inspired by the recent experience of a former colleague.) These events are embarrassing, and they almost always end with a standard—and unsatisfying—apology in which the speaker regrets the remarks and says that they did not mean them.

There are cases in which a leader really ought to apologize, or even step down, because of private-turned-public comments they make. Racist and sexist remarks undermine a leader’s credibility and can signal that they’re not fit for their role. Leaders who reveal in their private conversations that they do not have the institution’s best interests at heart also have a significant apology ahead of them.

However, in most cases, I believe a leader shouldn’t have to apologize for remarks made in private.…