Member-only story
Five Suggestions for Delivering the Bad News
“I’m afraid I have something bad to tell you.”
Ouch! I don’t know about you but every time I hear those words, I cringe and wait for the news. And as much as I don’t like receiving bad news, I like delivering bad news even less. However, the realty is at some point in every consultant’s career, they are faced with the necessity of talking with someone about an awkward situation. Maybe it was because:
— A client engagement hit a snag and there is no way a promised deadline can be meet, or
— A good friend called with an opportunity at their company, but the more you listen you realize you are not a good fit, or
— Someone you hired to help you is not able to meet your expectations.
If you’re like me, you hate delivering bad news. I get nervous, edgy, and uncomfortable. I remind myself of the importance of separating myself from the situation and not taking it personally. Saying and accepting are two different things.
I go through “what if’s” in my head envisioning what could have been done to avoid the situation. I consider acting like an ostrich placing my head in the sand, hoping the “problem” will disappear, but it doesn’t. As a matter of fact, many times the problem just gets worse.