When the criticism is right

When the criticism is right
Somebody points out a real error in public. This is the moment people damage themselves, and it is entirely avoidable.
What works:
— Concede immediately and specifically. Name what was wrong. Vague acknowledgement reads as evasion.
— Fix the thing, and say that it is fixed.
— Thank them without performance. One line. Elaborate gratitude looks like a hostage video.
— Do not explain why the mistake was understandable. Nobody asked, and the explanation is where defensiveness lives.
— Leave the criticism visible. Deleting a correct correction is the fastest way to lose a room.
— If it changes the conclusion, say so at the top of the original, not buried three replies deep.
The counterintuitive part: conceding an error in public usually raises how much people trust you rather than lowering it. Everyone has seen the alternative and knows what it looks like.
Being wrong is normal. Handling it badly is a choice.