101: Giving Bad News
Hopefully you work at a company where layoffs, firings and dramatic downward shifts in business don't happen. But if they do, there are right and wrong ways to handle the delivery of bad news. Here are three things to remember if you have to call someone into your office and shut the door:
It should never be a surprise. Communication should be ongoing. Subordinates should always be warned about ways they need to improve their performance, avoid the loss of a major client, or deal with mistakes they've made, says Robert Bies in an article at Forbes.com. He puts it simply: “If employees are surprised by bad news, managers are not fulfilling their responsibilities.”
Don't stand for that. Be sitting down — both of you. This offers two advantages, says an article by Calvin Sun at TechRepublic.com. If the news is truly bad, like a layoff or termination, they could faint. Also, you don't know how someone will react. Sitting will reduce changes of injury and further support the discussion from getting emotionally out of control. “In plain terms: it is harder to physically fight someone when you're seated than when you're standing,” Sun writes.
Do it today, not tomorrow. Certainly, no one enjoys delivering bad news and the tendency is to put it off as long as possible, perhaps waiting until the situation magically improves. But it's unlikely it will, says an article at Inc.com. “It's better to get it out of the way as soon as the problem arises rather than letting it metastasize, which can create a toxic work environment,” the article states. To wait means the rumor mill has a chance to churn, resulting in potentially false information that can negatively impact morale and camaraderie throughout your organization.
Read more
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments