Thank you for conducting a great class yesterday. I was very skeptical about attending the class (I didn't want to get the traditional class). I also like your sensible, practical demeanor. Thanks for helping to make me a better employee and speaker.

EMC Corporation

Delivering Difficult Messages (with customers, colleagues, partners)

Due to the recent developments in the current business economy, following is a possible strategy in how to deliver bad news. If you are able to present a clear, concise message, it will help people listen and ultimately accept the difficult news.

Delivering Bad News

When you have bad news for a customer, colleague or partner, it is best to inform her/him as clearly and reasonably as you can. You probably succeed best by starting in terms of how you understand she or he likely feels about it.

Once you say: "This delay is completely unacceptable. Of course you must be angry," it is more difficult for him to say "This is unacceptable. I'm angry," without sounding foolish. She or he may well do that, but as the exchange continues with you agreeing with him and even strengthening it, eventually the person may come to accept it.

Giving the most optimistic possible scenario is an okay strategy if you never have to see her/him again. If this is a regular interaction, however, you are far better off establishing long-term credibility, even at the cost of short-term unpleasantness.

Explanations are not excuses.

Often, an important strategy involves informing the client of the details of the situation. This is almost never your opening statement. Next is stating a combination of the bare facts ("Your site is down as there is a problem with ….") and a message of understanding his reaction ("I know that this is not what you want but we need to fix this, and it starts with ….") Once these messages have been stated and received and understood, (which may involve multiple repetitions) it may be time to move to further data.

If you can inform your client/partner of the realities of the situation, it can help her/him move to a partnership position again, though it may take time. At first s/he will not care that engineer unavailability is a problem, or that a mistake occurred. In the long run, however, s/he may understand that this is reality. Even more important, the person can realize that this did not happen because she or he was being ignored or taken for granted.

The Ocean Liner

When dealing with a client on the phone, he or she may be difficult to sway. He may be disappointed or angry and ready to stay that way. Think of your job as akin to changing the course of an ocean liner.

When a large ship is traveling through the water, it has a huge amount of momentum going in its current direction. To turn it around, tugboats do not try to stop it and reverse course on a dime. Instead, they nudge it aside a few degrees at a time. The directed pressure slowly but surely bends the path of the ship until it is headed the right way. So you work to slowly get your client, colleague or partner back to form an alliance.

Contact Decker Associates about how we can develop and deliver a personalized "Delivering Difficult Messages" workshop onsite for your company

Call 781-433-0300 or contact us today!

For past tips, click here.

If you would like to receive a free presentation tip each month,
enter your e-mail address here: