No one likes hearing bad news, but we all prefer some ways of hearing bad news more than others. Breaking bad news is an art form, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out early on that your “bad news presentation” will require a great deal more preparation than the good news one. Like it or not, bad news is scrutinized more than good news.
It goes without saying that, as the bearer of bad news, there is also a heightened demand for poise, personal calm and strength. Getting bad news from a wimpering, scared little person is almost the worst way to get bad news at all—the worst way, of course, being feeble attempts at humor while delivering the message.
There are some really basic and simple steps presenters can take to ride out the storm with relative peace and, dare we say, silver linings. As many customer service books have noted, issues are often the best opportunities to build loyalty. This is not limited to customer service; it’s about dealing with people. Here are just a few tips for bearing bad news the way people tend to accept it best:
Just say it! Bad news is rarely surprising. Even when it is, if you save it for the end of your presentation, you strip away the credibility and meaning of every sentence that preceded it when you take that sharp turn downward. It’s always best to just come right out and say it, and spend the rest of the time talking about solutions, strategies for improvement, and how the problem is being handled.
Have a plan. Really and truly, bad news should never be delivered without a detailed (relative to how recent the development is) plan for fixing the problem. Delivering bad news without a plan is the same as quitting—and sounds like it. After all, if you haven’t been working to fix the issue, what are you doing, exactly?
Allocate plenty of time for answering questions. People need to feel heard, especially when the news affects them directly. These types of Q&As are frightening for most presenters, and it’s critical that you strike a calm, highly professional tone with your answers. But failing to allow some venting—which, honestly, just has to be expected in the wake of bad news—creates deep feelings of resentment, conspiracy theories and all sorts of negative realities.
Really, with bad news, it’s as simple as some humanitarian content organization, coming not just with problems but with solutions, and taking the time to listen to people. Bad news is hard to deliver, but it’s harder to take. Stretch your empathy muscles and get ready!
Question: Have you ever been in a situation where bad news was delivered poorly?
