Definition of Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission

An approach where a person takes an action or makes a decision without prior approval from the stakeholders needed. If the action or decision turns out to be negative or the wrong one, the person will ask for forgiveness later. It implies a willingness to take risks and make decisions independently, relying on the possibility of forgiveness rather than seeking explicit permission.

Example: The employee followed the principle of ask for forgiveness, not permission when implementing a new marketing strategy that boosted product adoption because the employee did not want to wait for the stakeholder input.

Variations: Ask for forgiveness later


Usage of "Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission" by Country

Business English is used in many different countries around the world. Some of the words and phrases listed on this site will be understood everywhere Business English is used, but some words and phrases are only used in specific countries. The map below shows where "Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission" is most commonly used.

Word Usage Map

Learn More About "Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission"

"Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission" is in the top 30% most popular words looked up on this site.

"Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission" is used in the workplace during meetings or emails.

The definition for "Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission" was last updated in 2023.

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Business English Quiz

Question: What does "Calendar Invite" mean?

   (A) When a person wants to meet with you next week.
   (B) An email sent to schedule a meeting with the option to either accept or decline the meeting at the scheduled time.
   (C) When a person has available time on their calendar to meet with you.
   (D) When a person does not have any time to meet with you.

Answer: Find out the right answer here.

About This Site

Jargonism is a Business English dictionary. You can learn about words and phrases that are commonly used in the workplace like Circle Back, Thought Leader, and Offsite. We also have a Word of the Day, which is a daily Business English vocabulary word that is commonly used in the workplace.

On this site, we also have templates on how to communicate effectively at work, such as requesting PTO, declining a promotion, and taking a sick day.

Word of the Day

Date: 05/01/2024

Word: Close It Out

Definition: To mark something as completed.

Example: This task has been fixed, so let's close it out within the task tracker.

Cite This Page

"Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission." Jargonism.com Dictionary, https://jargonism.com/words/1831. Accessed 05/01/2024.