For most of us, it’s hard to admit when we’re wrong. But if you’re in the public eye as a speaker, an author, and a renowned thought leader on human nature, that challenge gets a lot more complicated.
I recently heard Malcolm Gladwell stand on stage at TEDNext as he apologized for the views he wrote in his 2000 book, “The Tipping Point.” His groundbreaking book is still used to this day in universities around the world as an explanation for how momentum can snowball into change.
In his debut novel, Gladwell equates the Broken Windows Theory with a drop in crime in New York City in the early 1990s, a popular theory at the time. In essence, an ordered and clean environment, one that is maintained, sends the signal that the area is monitored and that criminal behavior is not tolerated, and vice versa. New policing strategies like ‘zero tolerance’ were also used in alignment with that theory to maintain law and order.
So, what was so wrong with “The Tipping Point” that its author used the TED stage to apologize to the world? After all, Gladwell did not create Broken Windows Theory nor NYPD policing strategies. Why apologize?
Over time, new information can come to light that can call a theory into question. Times change as do societal priorities. In this case, he recognized his part in contributing to misinformation and felt responsible for any resulting assumptions, opinions, and outcomes from doing so. He acknowledged that his words may have caused some racial bias and that there were likely many reasons that caused crime to decline in the 90’s, not just one. He felt so strongly about this change in theory that he wrote a follow up and bestselling book, “Revenge of the Tipping Point,” to this time address the dangers of social engineering.
As Gladwell closed his TED Talk with the words “I’m sorry,” there was definitely silence in the room before applause erupted. This was a radical approach to changing course, but that wasn’t the only reason the audience gave a standing ovation. It wasn’t that Gladwell was wrong and admitted it, but that he delivered that information in an authentically vulnerable way.
What can we learn from this? I took away these three important actions for anyone who puts messages into the world, through the media, in books, through paid speaking or communication in general.
1. Own It. In the interview following his TED Talk, Gladwell clearly said that this was his error and his alone. By admitting that this was an error on his part and by adding that he was sorry about it, any potential backlash or outrage on the part of his audience and fans was greatly minimized if not completely avoided. He acknowledged that some of his initial theory came from a place that was much less informed than he is today. There was no mention of anyone else to blame, only himself.
The most important part of Gladwell’s apology is not that he did it, but in how authentic and vulnerable he was doing it.
Key takeaways: At a time when debate and divisiveness are the norm, there can be a lot of finger pointing and blame at the other side and not so much finger pointing at ourselves as part of the problem. We can do better if we set aside our own egos and remember that our words are our own. Nobody else put them there. Owning your words is of the utmost importance most when new information comes to light. An apology can be an incredible tool to diffuse divisiveness and build commonality and compassion, but that’s not enough. The most important part of Gladwell’s apology is not that he did it, but in how authentic and vulnerable he was doing it.
2. Be Open to Change. This stunning revelation didn’t come to Gladwell overnight. After much research, deliberation, discussion and soul searching, he came to the conclusion that he felt he misled his readers by simplifying the reason behind New York City’s decline in crime. He acknowledged that it was a different time and that his position and some of the content of his book was written by a more naive and less informed writer than he is today. He was open to the possibility that he was wrong and investigated it, drawing a new conclusion than he did in 2000.
Key takeaways: Being open to the possibility that you might not always be right is the first step. The second step is also realizing that while you may (or may not) have changed, the world around you is always changing, placing more importance on causes including social activism, the environment, the economy, and more as we’ve seen in recent years. Acknowledging that you said or theorized something at that moment in time is a far better approach than stubbornly sticking to a disproven viewpoint or not being open to the possibility of being wrong.
3. Seek Outside Perspectives. Gladwell didn’t wake up one day and decide he was wrong. He also didn’t double down on his assumptions made nearly twenty-five years ago. He reviewed new data and findings since his book was published. He also sought the opinions of a group of esteemed doctors at the University of Pennsylvania who are among the brightest minds in understanding criminality. They collectively opened his eyes to another issue: the imbalance of how he told his story, elaborating on the story of the fear of the White man while giving two sentences to the four Black men impacted by crime. Gladwell also apologized for this oversight.
Key takeaways: First, admitting that you don’t know everything is a good start. Seek the advice of others to gain new perspectives. Be open to the fact that when a book is published, it does not mean that the story is over. Those words were your opinion or belief at that time, and be open to that opinion or belief changing over time.
I believe that for the best advice to handle those times where you need to change course, Malcolm Gladwell said it best here in the interview after his TED Talk. He said, “I thought if you wanted to win over an audience, you had to communicate certainty. And now, I realize that is actually backwards. That you’re more willing, more capable of winning over an audience when you admit to the uncertainty and the fragility of your position. People want that.”
Towards the end of his TED Talk, Gladwell challenges journalists and writers to be held to a higher standard. At this moment in time, in an era of fake news and AI altered imagery, society is craving that higher standard. It’s the responsibility of all who communicate, whether they are keynote speakers on stage or in the general media, to take that challenge very seriously.
“I thought if you wanted to win over an audience, you had to communicate certainty. And now, I realize that is actually backwards. That you’re more willing, more capable of winning over an audience when you admit to the uncertainty and the fragility of your position. People want that.”
Malcolm Gladwell
As speakers, business leaders, and professionals in the workforce, we are often taught that confidently conveying our views is important, and I don’t think that Gladwell intends for us to no longer speak confidently. He recommends acknowledging that a story is an ongoing, living thing, even if it’s placed in print or online. And that by being humble and open to change, speakers can be more authentically themselves and demonstrate a greater connection to any event audience.
Here’s Malcolm Gladwell’s TED talk at TEDNext 2024. Based on the comments below his talk, I’d say he might be onto something here.