E.R. Campbell said:
The entire system, civil, political and military, has mastered the art of the formal apology and of "I feel your pain," and so on but it still seems to be incredibly difficult to actually, really, honestly admit that I (we), the senior leadership, screwed up. But experience teaches that:
a. It works ~ if it is honest and sincere the lower decks (junior ranks) accept it and "forgive" the mistakes ... IF it is sincere; and
b. It helps to get everyone onside to effect the changes that are (always) needed, and
c. It works only if the needed changes are consistently implemented after the exercise of honest self-assesment.