Chapter 19
And the Bad News Is…
The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.
—R. Lee Ermey
Long story, short. Delivering bad news is a matter of mastering and minimizing a moment.
The Bright (and Brief) Side of Bearing Bad News
If it's hard to give someone bad news, don't make it harder by dragging it out.
Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news—whether telling your boss the project is going to be late, telling your significant other you've bounced a check, sharing negative feedback from your most important client, or having the unfortunate responsibility of having to fire somebody. In all of these moments, taking the time to prepare and get to the core of the issue quickly will make the pill easier to swallow.
Remember, there's almost always a silver lining. No matter how dire the situation looks, we're never really doomed. Yet, belaboring a point will make what's painful, unbearable.
I remember early in my career suffering a major setback in finalizing a contract with an important client. At the last moment, the client decided to cancel the agreement, saying that he didn't really remember approving it.
I nearly panicked.
That was clearly bad news. I had to call my boss and tell him about this major setback.
My boss came to the client's office, rectified the situation, and set the deal straight. He pulled me aside afterward and said, “Listen, kid, don't ever let ...
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