Wed, October 21, 2009 - 7:58:30

The Bad News Is…

In today’s tough economy, managers across the nation are being confronted with difficult challenges every day.  From downsizing, to budget cuts and mergers, many managers are faced with the unpleasant task of delivering bad news, but as Kevin Daley’s recent Harvard Business Review post reveals, the way managers go about it can be as impactful as the news itself.

In his post, “How to Deliver Bad News to a Group,” Daley writes that while most managers have received extensive training in one-on-one interactions regarding lay-offs and firings, many have little understanding of the importance of delivering bad news to a group.  And although the temptation of office-wide emails can seem like a quick, easy, and efficient fix, there is simply no substitute for the in-person announcement.

So, when the time comes to inform your team of an unpleasant development, it is imperative not only to gather everyone together, but to speak from the heart and allow time for questions.  As we often advise, start with the good stuff and let your team know that you value their hard work, but keep it simple and brief to avoid an anxious build-up from your audience.  Then, deliver the bad news in a matter-of-fact way that gives them the information they need without sounding accusatory or leaving anyone feeling hurt.  Finally, allow for a dialogue that continues after the official meeting and let your employees know that they can come to you with any questions that you can answer for them.  Inevitably, you won’t be able to resolve every issue, but your employees will appreciate knowing that you made an effort.

In our book, THE POWER OF NICE: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, we devote an entire chapter to what we believe is one of the most powerful nice principles: telling the truth.  And when placed in a tough situation, it’s one of the best things you can do.  Although telling people things they don’t want to hear can be difficult, you will find that doing so in a NICE way will not only inspire their trust in you, it will motivate them to do better.

Posted by Linda and Robin