The single best way to deliver bad news, at least in my experience …
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Transcript
A question I get asked a lot is how to offer bad news.
Speaker:Now the important thing to understand about bad news is that there's no way
Speaker:that they will magically turn into better news if you put a sugar coating on top.
Speaker:So, if you ask me, then, well, just tell the bad news, make it
Speaker:short and stick to the point.
Speaker:It's going to hurt, sure, but it's going to hurt anyway.
Speaker:One thing that this attitude does for you is that it increases your credibility.
Speaker:If you earn a reputation for meaning what you say, then people will trust
Speaker:you, not only when you offer bad news, but also when you offer great news.
Speaker:Well, especially then, because then it's just as important.
Speaker:However, if you hide bad news behind a curtain of dust and smoke, or worse,
Speaker:if you try to sell bad news behind a facade of great news, sooner or
Speaker:later people will notice, because sooner or later, it is going to hurt.
Speaker:And so, whenever you have any kind of news, people will be
Speaker:unsure about what to make of it.
Speaker:I'd suggest to not sell bad news as great as.
Speaker:Just deliver it, quickly, shortly, and to the point.