To give bad news

There are times when we have to give bad news.

Like the end of a contract, or the price is too high, or the quality has slipped, or we’re not going ahead.

If you’ve been on the other end of those conversations you know how they feel; the stages of grief, the self doubt, the wish for time travel and the rabbit hole of second guesses. You’ll also know it’s worse when the news is delivered without compassion, or too coldly or aggressively.

Now it’s your turn on this side of the table, don’t do that.

Be human, explain the reasons, head off undue concerns, make linkages clear and be explicit when there are none.

The objective: be clear, eliminate doubt and maybes, and leave as good a feeling as possible – you may need each other in the future.

Skippy strategy: When the news is bad, be human.

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Category:
Skippiness