Managers and executives are frequently called upon to deliver bad news to employees. This important responsibility can center on cancelled projects, mergers, outsourcing of functions, layoffs or poor performance. The following guidelines can go a long way towards effectively communicating in these situations.

Don't Delay - Those who hesitate to deliver bad news often make matters worse. The corporate rumor mill may beat you to the punch and undermine your influence as a manager. Once you have established what you need to say, construct a plan for where and when you will deliver the message. If printed communication needs to be sent to a larger audience, make sure it is prepared early and ready to be sent to the appropriate people. Don't forget to involve your human resource manager. He or she can be a valuable asset in these difficult situations by drawing on experience with multiple cases like this

Be Empathetic - In preparing the message, make sure you communicate your sincere understanding of the consequences for the individual or group affected. Managers who are perceived as empathetic often find employees responding with a more helpful attitude. I have talked with hundreds of employees following communication of a layoff. The individuals who stated, "My boss was really troubled by this situation," had less anger and were more likely to quickly begin a job search.

Focusing On The Future - It is critical to end you meeting by focusing on the future. Once you have discussed the events leading up to the bad news and the actual decision, you must talk about the next steps. In the case of a cancelled project, be ready to let people know how the staff will be reassigned. In addressing poor performance, discuss a plan for helping the person improve. When giving a person layoff notice, let them know how you can help them in their job search and make sure to follow through on your promises.

Delivering bad news is one of the most difficult responsibilities managers face. You can make the most of these situations by being prepared, empathetic and future focused.

Managing Survivors of Downsizing is an article related to this topic published in one of my previous newsletters.

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