Delivering bad news is a fine art, and it takes forethought, preparation and practice to do it well. Giving someone bad news is not easy, whether it’s telling your client that their investment has gone south, informing an employee that he or she has been let go or announcing to your department that its project has been cut. Many professionals will go to great lengths to avoid giving bad news, but as we all know, it’s an essential part of the business world and of being a leader. Here are five tips to put into practice the next time you have to give someone bad news.
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Give it to them straight. Don’t beat around the bush. Get right to the point and make sure your message is clear and easily understood. Usually the thing that you don’t want to tell your listener because you’re afraid to hurt his or her feelings is exactly what you need to say: the truth of the matter. Practice what you’re going to say out loud to see how it sounds. Ask yourself if you can say it any clearer, and make adjustments if needed. Also, while you want to keep your message clear, don’t degrade your listener. Deliver the news as gracefully as possible. Think of a doctor who has to deliver bad news to a patient. Doctors use short and simple phrases to explain what has happened without blaming or judging them. Their tone is empathetic and understanding, and doctors give listeners time to process what they’re saying carefully.
Ask permission and prepare them. A great way to soften the blow is to prepare the person at the beginning of the conversation about what is to come. Saying, “I have something difficult I need to tell you,” or “Can I tell you something that may be hard to hear?” can help soften the blow of the message because you’ve prepared the person and even asked permission, so to speak, to deliver the news.
Don’t over-explain. After delivering bad news, it usually makes sense to offer an explanation appropriate to the situation. For example: “Your deal fell through because …” or “You are being let go because…”Offer a sentence or two to explain what happened or why it happened, but don’t elaborate too much. Explaining too much detracts from the principal message you want to convey and in some cases prolongs the conversation more than the listener is comfortable with. It is extremely important to be truthful with the person when you offer a short explanation. We all know the phrase, “Honesty is the best policy.” Your listener will find out if you are not honest with him or her sooner or later, and that will only make the situation worse. If you have to deliver the news to an entire department or a group of individuals, don’t give one of them different information from the others. Be careful with your message. They will most likely talk to each other after the bad news has been delivered. Another thing to avoid is speculating with your listener about any plans or changes. Phrases like, “If something changes in the future…” or something similar are confusing. It can seem like you are making the situation better, but giving false hope is worse for the person in the long run.
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Be empathetic. Bad news is best delivered in person, and how you deliver the message is many times more important than what you actually say. Think about how you would feel if you were the one receiving the bad news, and prepare your words accordingly. Be mindful of your facial expressions and body language. Make it apparent that you understand the person’s feelings, but don’t linger too long after speaking with them. Let the person leave the room when it feels like time to do so.
Determine solutions. While you want to prepare yourself emotionally, it’s also important to have all of the information you need to deliver and be prepared to answer any questions. For example, if you have to deliver bad news to a client, have a few alternative options ready. Could the client invest in something else, make an appeal or try something else appropriate for their circumstances? It is important to do this beforehand and write the options down, because once emotions kick in, it’s more difficult to think straight. Having this information written down can help ease the blow, show your professionalism and also help the other person focus on a positive solution. In some cases, there is no solution — for example, if someone is being let go. In that situation, simply do your best to be understanding and kind, and answer any questions as best as you can, within the limits of what you can say. You can wish the person well at the next opportunity as a way to leave it on a more positive tone.
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Be mindful of a time and setting. When you have to deliver bad news to an individual, make sure that it is in a private setting and at a time when he or she can hear the bad news. If it’s not urgent, don’t approach the person at a stressful time in the middle of a project. Be mindful of the setting as well. Turn off any computer alerts and make sure your phone is on silent. Close any curtains or blinds if others will be able to see your conversation. It’s also important to deliver bad news as soon as possible. If you find out on Monday, don’t wait until Thursday to deliver the news. Letting the person know as soon as possible is a way to show that you respect him or her, and again, show your professionalism. If he or she takes it badly, avoid the urge to linger and offer comfort. You may be the last person he or she wants comfort from. After you have said everything you need to say, let the person grieve or process the information privately.
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6 Tips to Successfully Deliver Bad News in the Workplace originally appeared on usnews.com
