Your performance is not good enough. We will not promote you, even if you meet all the requirements. You will no longer work on this project. Your position is being eliminated. You're fired. These are all examples of bad news a good manager must be able to tell his subordinates and to explain why. It is never simple to deliver bad news. However, you should keep in mind that it is even harder for the person on the receiving end.
Trying to avoid bad news does not make sense. If you are not going to promote an employee who has been counting on the promotion, you should explain why. Silence can cause the whole team to lose confidence in you. Inc.com published several recommendations on how to communicate bad news professionally. You have probably experienced the situation when you failed to convey some bad news properly. So let's try again and get better at it.
Do not think about how difficult it is for you
The more negative the image of the situation you create in your mind, the more difficult it will be for you to speak. You will become nervous and start to avoid unpleasant conversations. Think of it simply as a need to talk with your employee. When you approach the whole thing as a standard interview, you will feel better and others will too.
Throw away the script
Even if you try your best to prepare for the interview, it will never follow a script. If you focus too much on following a prepared scenario, unexpected questions will embarrass you even more, so approach the situation more flexibly. You should prepare various options of responses and follow the rule of speaking briefly, clearly and neutrally.
Listen to the other side
Ask how the employee perceives the whole situation. Show that you are interested in his opinion and respectful. Be very careful about showing emotions. You should never act like a victim. If you are talking about performance evaluation or the termination of a project, keep in mind that you will continue working together. What you say may not be pleasant, but you should be honest and fair.
For more tips, read our previous articles:
Dismissed employees do not care about how you feel
Mastering a difficult conversation with good employees
Can you manage difficult conversations with employees?
10 tips for delivering bad news
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