In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, author Douglas Adams writes, “Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.” He’s right – now, more than ever. Bad news can cause outrage, and nothing spreads faster in the public domain than outrage. It drives high engagement on social media, generates clicks for media outlets, and destroys reputations. For that reason, you need to know how to deliver bad news in a good way. That communication needs to meet certain criteria.
So, what are the “special laws” of delivering bad news and how can you make sure your company, organization, law firm, or hospital is following them? The unsatisfying but true answer is – it depends.
Is your company filing for bankruptcy, downsizing, lowering wages, or cutting benefits? Is your organization being sued for harassment, discrimination, or a hostile work environment? Or, is there a federal, state, or regulatory investigation into your law firm or hospital? Are the allegations systemic or aimed at a specific executive or employee?
Your messaging, tone, and delivery need to be tailored to the circumstances and speak to the concerns of your target audience. If this sounds complicated, that’s because it is complicated. Don’t worry though, we can offer some basic advice.
How to Deliver Bad News
1. Say it Simply
Hedging, equivocating, or stalling won’t work. Deliver your bad news as simply and straightforwardly as possible. Avoid jargon and legalese, and don’t try to bury bad news with “good news.” Your audience knows when you’re trying to sell B.S. and trying to do so can heighten negative emotions and suggest you’re trivializing the bad news.
2. Be Honest
Your audience will respect – and expect – the truth. Your job is to give them the truth, with appropriate detail and context. Provide a means for follow-up questions and provide direct answers as you can. Your emotions must also match the news. Announcing mass layoffs to employees requires a different emotional response than announcing a price hike to customers.
3. Don’t Make it About You
It may be the CEO or other executive’s responsibility to deliver the bad news, but he or she must keep in mind that the bad news isn’t about them. The recipient does not want to hear about how you were “up all night agonizing over” the news or how you’re personally impacted. Let your audience have their moment of sadness and frustration without trying to elicit their sympathy.
4. Don’t Delay
Communication may not always be instant, but it needs to be timely. News spreads through the grapevine quickly, so you can’t procrastinate if you want to let your audience hear directly from you rather than other sources. Timely communication allows you to set the initial narrative in a way that maintains public trust.
5. Hire Professionals
When delivering bad news, it can be easy to become defensive, dismissive, or overly optimistic. This can undermine your communications strategy and cause greater reputational harm than the news itself. A professional PR agency can help you know how to deliver bad news in a good way.
