How to Deliver Bad News

 

Delivering bad news is always tough.  You don’t want to deliver the news, the person on the receiving end doesn’t want to hear it and the whole thing can make you sick to your stomach.  There are all kinds of advice out there on how to deliver the bad news.  Some are good, some are bad and some are downright strange.  The stress of having to deliver this news can also lead to mistakes being made in delivery that makes the whole process worse for everyone involved.  The good news is that delivering bad news, while never fun, can be much easier for everyone.  Let’s talk about some of the dos and don’ts of delivering bad news.

Prepare in advance

Make sure that before you deliver the bad news, that you’ve completely understand what you need to communicate to the receiver and that you have all the facts.  You want to be able to speak confidently about the subject because that will help the person hearing the news feel better.  There may also be questions.  Be prepared with the facts in case they have any follow-up questions.

Start with Bad News

Get right down to it.  Don’t  bury the headline, start with small talk, or lead off with some good news.  If you consistently deliver bad news by starting with good news or small talk you can actually create problems with other conversations.  If you always start with good news and then go to bad news you may make it impossible for your audience to ever hear good news.  You might start a conversation talking about their good sales performance and they’re not hearing you because they’re waiting for the other shoe to drop.  If you always start with the bad news you won’t damage your ability to deliver good news.  Additionally, your audience will appreciate you getting right to the point. 

Give the Facts

Use facts and data to deliver the news.  There is no arguing with the facts.  They are objective and can’t be changed.  Subjective information or feelings are much different.  They are easy to argue against and can leave the person on the receiving end feeling angry and defensive.  

List Any Required Actions

If you are delivering bad news and there are things the other person will need to do afterwards, make sure to list those out right up front.  As the deliverer it’s your responsibility to ensure that the person receiving the news understands what’s gone wrong and what they need to do.  For example, if you have an employee that is underperforming, you would lead with exactly what’s wrong and then list the exact things they need to do to correct their performance.  After listing out the required actions be sure to check for understanding. 

Finish with Empathy and Encouragement

Once the news is delivered now is the time for a little positivity.  Let them know that you understand that this likely wasn’t the news they were hoping for.  Go on to tell them that you are there to support and help them if needed.  To continue the underperforming employee example from above, you might say something like “I know that this wasn’t what you were hoping to hear today.  I also want you to know that I am committed to your success.  I believe that you can and will be successful if you implement these actions.  I am here to support you and your success.”  See how you’re showing both a little compassion and support but you didn’t apologize?  That shows that this is serious and you are also serious about your commitment to them.  This will help the receiver feel supported and confident in taking on the next steps. 

Give Them Some Space

No one likes bad news.  Some folks need time to process.  Some folks don’t, and some others might think or say they don’t when they really do.  It’s a good idea to give the receiver time to process the bad news and figure out how they’re going to move forward.  If you’ve delivered bad news to a friend, let them know that you’re there to support them and talk anytime before you leave or hang up.  If it’s an employee with a performance challenge, give them some time off, whether that’s a longer paid break or taking the rest of the day off with pay.  This will help them process the news and come back with a fresh attitude.