When you are the one who is responsible for delivering the bad news, identify and focus on the benefits of doing it in a timely fashion. Then take action with those thoughts in mind. Identify the positive benefits in delivering the bad news quickly. Also try to deliver a solution or plan of corrective action immediately as you deliver the bad news, advises the expertbusinessadvice.com website.
Dealing with bad news quickly helps your company to keep up its momentum. Withholding bad news can often make things worse. The longer it takes for a problem or issue to surface, the less time the receiver has to react. New plans will have to be formulated in less time and the solution may come too late.
Bad news? Go ahead
If a program needs to be terminated, adjusted or amended, always deal with the issue sooner rather than later. Of course, sometimes it makes sense to announce it later, due to your tactics – however, generally speaking the sooner you bring it up, the better.
When there is a performance issue with an employee, it is almost always much better to discuss that issue immediately. You need to limit the negative impact to the company and begin the corrective action as soon as possible.
Delivering bad news
Sometimes we hope that circumstances will change or another alternative will appear. However, the delay distracts us, prolongs the corrective process, and creates a more difficult outcome.
- Personnel issues: Try to take the same opportunity to acknowledge any strengths or positive potentials that will provide balance to the bad news.
- Business initiatives: Explain the value of what was learned and the resulting benefit of a negative decision.
- Policy changes: Recognize the value of acting quickly. It will limit even more negative actions that would otherwise be necessary.
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