The single best way to deliver bad news, at least in my experience … 

Read more thoughts on the art of communicating week-daily at https://michaelgerharz.com/blog

Mentioned in this episode:

New Book Out in October

My new book “The PATH to Strategic Impact” is coming out in October. It’s about how to make your big ideas happen and turn ambition into true progress, with case studies from some of the world’s most successful organizations. Learn more at https://michaelgerharz.com/the-path

New book

A question I get asked a lot is how to offer bad news.

Now the important thing to understand about bad news is that there's no way

that they will magically turn into better news if you put a sugar coating on top.

So, if you ask me, then, well, just tell the bad news, make it

short and stick to the point.

It's going to hurt, sure, but it's going to hurt anyway.

One thing that this attitude does for you is that it increases your credibility.

If you earn a reputation for meaning what you say, then people will trust

you, not only when you offer bad news, but also when you offer great news.

Well, especially then, because then it's just as important.

However, if you hide bad news behind a curtain of dust and smoke, or worse,

if you try to sell bad news behind a facade of great news, sooner or

later people will notice, because sooner or later, it is going to hurt.

And so, whenever you have any kind of news, people will be

unsure about what to make of it.

I'd suggest to not sell bad news as great as.

Just deliver it, quickly, shortly, and to the point.