As a society, we love nothing better than building up p aragons of power and virtue—except watching them squirm when they’re brought down. Whether they rise like a Phoenix from the ashes of their admissions is an exercise in style as much as substance. And whether you are a United States Senator or professional athlete, the rules of redemption are the same.

With the exception of perhaps Tiger Woods, most communication experts would agree that slugger Mark McGwire’s fall from grace has been (from a professional standpoint) the most painful to watch because he’s done nothing to help himself--from stonewalling the press and Congress to disappearing from public view—tacitly admitting what pretty much everyone assumed to be true about his steroid use.

If his brand weren’t badly damaged enough, McGwire decided to come clean (no pun intended) Monday in the form of a cowardly statement emailed to the press one week after voters for the baseball Hall of Fame resoundingly gave him a thumbs down, and just prior to reporting to Spring Training as a hitting instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals where he will no doubt be hounded on a daily basis by reporters clamoring to get him to talk on the record.

Make no mistake, McGwire could have had a second act in baseball; he had a reservoir of good will and a public image most athletes would die for, but it’s now been nearly 12 years since a reporter first noticed a strange bottle in his locker. A contrite statement two presidential administrations later is simply insufficient for resurrection let alone readmittance into the highest profile circles of the game. 

History will no longer see him as the affable and gentle giant with a trademark swing who sent baseballs into the stratosphere, but as a sullen, opportunistic and unconvincingly repentant player who has denied his culpability for the legacy of the second darkest age in the sport’s 150 years.

Unlike McGwire, no one had to explain to U.S. Se nator Harry Reid the necessity of reacting quickly and getting out in front of a potentially career ending quote; however, Senator Reid forgot two key lessons of contrition: 1) Who is your audience and; 2) Is the messenger authentic?

Reid was in front of the cameras within 48 hours of advanced excerpts of a book being released that quoted him as saying in 2008 that then Senator Obama could be elected President because he was “light skinned” and lacks “Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

And while it was wise PR counsel for Reid to show up to the news conference armed with written statements of support from the President and other African American leaders in Congress, it was notable that Reid had no one (of any color) present to offer moral or vocal support. Perhaps that was more than just symbolic as Reid’s five-minute statement was all about—Harry Reid.

Instead of offering a bridge to the millions of African Americans who live with the legacy of racism and understanding why his remarks were so offensive, Reid launched into stunning self-congratulations for “being one of the first people to suggest Barack Obama run for President,” and how “his heart has been warmed by the response around the country.”

Heading into an election where the polls show he was already trailing his no-name Republican opponents (in no small part because he is seen as a partisan creature corrupted by power in Washington, D.C.), Reid furthered that perception by listing a litany of powerful national African Americans in political circles who praised his work, and how the Los Angeles Times (as in not a Nevada paper) wrote an editorial in his support. Even when given an opportunity to apologize directly to his constituents, Reid fell back into his comfortable lingua franca of naming powerful African Americans in Nevada wh o continue to back him.

To make matters worse, Reid’s body language was uncomfortable and disingenuous (especially for a politician with 40 years of experience). He looked down constantly, rubbed his hands together and only mustered a smile when recounting unsolicited offers of support.

(I could write an entire article here about the mistake Republican leaders are making overplaying their tactical hand by calling for Reid’s resignation, but I’ll leave that for another day.)

In both the case of McGwire and Reid, they forgot one of the first rules of redemption and crisis communications: It’s not about you. Only those you have transgressed against can offer forgiveness, and you actually have to seek it before it will be granted. A close corollary for both men is that you actually have to look contrite for people to accept your apology. Hiding behind statements or shoulders is as unsatisfying for your audience as looking at a menu but n ot being allowed to eat. (Props to 80’s pop icon Howard Jones)

Next, as calculating as it may seem, your apology has to mesh with your brand and your values. While it would have been incongruous for a powerful leader like Senator Reid to break down in tears over the matter, a heartfelt discussion in front of an inner city civics class would have set the right tone. Likewise, putting McGwire in the bleachers of a Little League ball field built on the back of his contributions would have been the proper setting for his apology.

Lastly, every act of contrition requires an act of good faith to bring the chapter to a close. Using phrases like “I’m moving forward” or “I’m beyond that now” are meaningless and tired clichés unless they are combined with concrete actions.

In McGwire’s case, one way to overcome skepticism about his motives would be to ask for a probationary period during which he won’t be allowed to appear on a Hall of Fame ballot and will forgo all but one attempt (other players get ten years) to be voted into Cooperstown--on the final year of his eligibility.

Reid will face voters much sooner—November—and no doubt the President will be venturing out to Nevada long before that to provide plenty of photo opportunities for the embattled Senate Majority Leader. In the meantime, Reid would be wise to reconnect with his in-state roots. He’s branding himself in TV ads as determined fighter for his state, even brave enough to take on the mob in Las Vegas. Will he be similarly courageous this Sunday and show up at the Las Vegas Mt. Zion Baptist Church and give their parishioners the measure of the man? It would say just as much as any paid advertising could.

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