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Too Little, Too Late and Too Many Apologies
Dear Annie advises setting firmer boundaries as repeated apologies do not fix the co-worker’s chronic lateness, which keeps disrupting meetings and deadlines.
- A reader recently wrote to Dear Annie regarding a co-worker who is repeatedly late for meetings and deadlines. The colleague is consistently over-the-top apologetic.
- Every time the co-worker is late, she provides elaborate excuses and acknowledges how much her lateness affects the reader and the rest of the team. This pattern repeats consistently.
- The reader expressed exhaustion with the dynamic, stating, "I don't want to hear 'I'm sorry.'" Instead, the reader wants "a co-worker who is reliable."
- By the end of each apology rant, the reader ends up comforting the co-worker instead. This shifts emotional labor onto the team, complicating the professional relationship.
- Moving forward, the reader must decide how to address the colleague's performance issues directly. Clearly defining professional expectations helps employees focus on reliability, reducing the need for emotional performances.
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15 Articles
The spokesman-Review+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Dear Annie: Too little, too late, too many apologies
Dear Annie: A co-worker of mine is repeatedly late – late to meetings, late with deadlines, late to answer messages. Every time, she is over-the-top apologetic. She has some elaborate excuse (which could be true, for all I know), apologizes at length, and acknowledges how much her lateness affects me and the rest of the team. I end up in the position of comforting HER by the end of her apology rant.
·Spokane, United States
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Salem News+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Too Little, Too Late, Too Many Apologies
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2026
Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left6Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 40%
C 60%
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