The CEO and president of the office furniture giant MillerKnoll apologized to her staff on Tuesday after a video of her telling employees not to live in “pity city” went viral, saying that she understands her language “seemed insensitive” but that she meant it as a “rallying cry” amid a difficult moment for the company.

CEO Andi Owen’s now-infamous comments came at the end of a March town hall, after she was asked,  “While things are tough right now, how can we help our teams stay motivated?” In response, Owen launched into a tirade about bonuses, telling people to stop worrying “about what you’re going to do if you don’t get a bonus” and otherwise “leave pity city.”

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The comment angered employees enough for Owen to meet with company leaders and sent an initial message to associates. But MillerKnoll initially struck a defiant tone in a