Delivering bad news, whatever the context, is incredibly challenging and needs specific skills to do in a way that's respectful and least painful. Often, many of us are put in situations in our personal or professional lives where we have to deliver bad news to somebody with no prior experience or knowledge in doing so. Therefore, in this video we look to give tips to help you deliver bad news to others...
1. Set Expectation- If you're delivering bad news then one of the most critical things to do is set the expectation and tone of the conversation as soon as possible- While we all love a positive surprise, unfortunately bad news has the opposite effect, and springing it on someone can cause them to become reactionary to the news- Therefore, it's best to be direct and clear that the discussion may not be one they like, usually done through subtle body language, such as talking in softer or calmer tones and showing sensitivity - While not pleasant, it sets up the conversation you'll be having in a way where the person is expectant of something they may not like, bracing themselves for what it is
2. Be Direct- At the best of times people don't want usually want to wait for news, much rather preferring it to be told to them in a direct and honest way- In this respect, delivering bad news isn't any different, as while context and details important, people will become frustrated if they don't know what the point of the discussion is - One technique to do this is be up front and say what the news is first, following up with the explanation and detail to give context as to what's occurred - This way, the recipient of the news immediately understands what the purpose of the conversation is, and then gets given the detail they may seek
3. Sit Down- You never know what kind of reaction people might have when they hear bad news, so it's best to be seated when delivering it in case they take it badly- This might be it causes them to feel a little faint, or alternatively start to get aggressive if they feel they've been wronged in a given situation- When seated, people already have physical support on hearing the news, helping them to keep calm and helping to prevent situations from getting out of control emotionally- Sometimes it helps to try and avoid any kind of physical barriers too, such as a desk, when delivering the message, as this can make it appear more confrontational and less personal.
4. Sympathies- It seems obvious, but hearing bad news can be difficult and therefore delivering it can be uncomfortable and difficult to do - However, for all of the challenges you'll face when delivering bad news, remember to try and keep the other person's feelings in mind the whole time - If you sympathies and show empathy to them, the power that the message might have is diluted as they feel better supported and will likely acknowledge your respect - Sometimes it can be difficult, such as when you're just the messenger and the person gets angry, but just remember their anger isn't likely to be personal animosity towards you and is caused by emotional turmoil
5. Re frame the Situation- Bad news is difficult to deal with, but the key is to understand what this means in the greater context of things and see what the reality is of the situation- For example, if you fail to deliver on a project, it will be disheartening to deliver the news that this has happened, but at the same time it can be re framed in a light of what lessons are learnt for the future - Likewise, when delivering the news of someone passing away, it's difficult to take in but at the same time if they're a loved one then it's better to focus on the memories they left behind and the moments you or someone else had with them - Bad news might be difficult to deliver and is never fun, but that doesn't mean it can't be delivered in a sensitive, respectful and helpful way What do you do when you have to deliver bad news to someone?
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