Douglas Adams said, "Nothing travels faster than light…with the possible exception of bad news, which follows its own rules."
At first glance, this might seem like an inappropriate subject for this time of year. But given the year we’ve had as a country, and the amazing resiliency of the American people, this might be the perfect time to talk about a serious subject. Bad news is always hard to deliver. Sure, telling people profits are up is a piece of cake. But what’s the best way to communicate messages that aren’t so good? In today’s challenging business climate, knowing how to deliver bad news to employees or customers is a skill worth mastering. Here are a few tips.
- Don’t wait. Sooner is always better than later. As we all know, bad news travels fast. The longer we wait to deliver it, the greater the chance it will leak out through uncontrolled and sometimes destructive channels.
- Do it face-to-face. No memos, no phone messages and absolutely no e-mails. Serious subjects, especially bad news, should always be delivered in person.
- Be prepared. Know exactly what you’re going to say before you say it. And anticipate questions and have honest answers at the ready. Never have canned speeches or corporate answers. Have a plan for what you’re going to say and then just talk from the heart in a sensitive and straightforward way.
- Eliminate distractions. Clear your calendar and pick a time and place to meet free of interruptions, phone calls, or meetings to run off to. Besides being insensitive, these distractions may make it appear you’re trying to escape the situation.
- Tell the truth. Ignorance isn’t bliss and people know it. Be straight with them.
- Ask for help. If the business has a problem, involve people. Most great ideas come from the people closest to the work.
- Ask for questions. Silence often means people don’t understand, so ask and answer questions. Watch people’s facial expressions and body language. Seek to understand what they understand and where more explanation is needed.
- Let people vent. If the news is bad, people may react emotionally. So be a good listener. The experts say let people vent if they need to, and not try to get them to "calm down" or "be reasonable." So be patient and just listen.
- Plan to reconvene. Depending on how bad the news is, people may need time to get over their initial reaction, gather their thoughts, and then get back together later. In the meantime, people should know you’re available anytime to talk or answer any questions.
- Privately forgive ourselves. It’s easier said than done, but it helps to remember you’re not causing the distress, the news is.
The bad news is, from time to time, you will be responsible for handling bad news.
The good news is, there are ways to deliver the news that will help people deal with it better. And in a weird, ironic way, you can take solace in the fact bad news is often the catalyst for positive change. Which isn’t all bad. IBI
