Delivering Bad News Tactfully and Effectively

No one likes to receive bad news, which is why it important to use tact when discussing a problem or having to deliver a bad news message. Even though the message negative, it still should convey a sense of support or amity to the reader. If the situation is minor or insignificant, but enough to bring it to the person’s attention, then a direct approach can be used to inform or alert the them of the issue. A direct approach “is basically the same plan used for good-news or neutral messages” (Roebuck, D., 2006, p. 87). If the message is significant enough that a denial or rejection has to be delivered, then it is best to take an indirect approach, as author Deborah Roebuck (2006) states, it “softens your audience’s resistance, arouses their interests, and increases their tendency to see you as fair-minded” (p. 88). The “bad news” should be made clear to the person; however, the deliverer should make it clear to the person receiving the bad news that there are no hard feelings toward them personally.

Because the employee has been confrontational, a hostile work environment was created, so there can be an expectation of defensiveness on the part of the employee. An investigation needs to be completed so all of the facts and incidents of the employee’s substandard performance and complaints from each customer and all co-workers are accurately documented and ready to be presented during the meeting with the employee. This is in order to present the evidence as facts that cannot be disputed. “We typically feel defensive when others have something critical to say about us. We do not want to know that we are not doing well or not doing all we should do (Abigail, R. & Cahn, D., 2011, p. 73).

The conflict resolution that would work best in this case would come from managing organizational conflict. The objective is to engage productivity in the workplace, and if there is an employee who is not civil to the other employees and not satisfying the customer’s needs, then a meeting should take place to discuss his or her poor work performance. Respect for the employee must be uppermost as an objective when discussing the documented incidents. The climate in which the meeting takes place should be professional, and the language is objective and non-discriminatory. Active listening should be used to hear what the employee has to say. Every incident has two sides, and in all fairness, their side should be heard. Some employees deal with “work-life” conflict. This arises from not being able to keep “a balance between one’s personal life and the demands of work” (Abigail, R. & Cahn, D., 2011, p. 249). This may serve as an explanation, but their negative behaviour is what is being dealt with.

Using positive language, the meeting should begin with discussing the positive behaviour and performance of the employee, which both the employer and employee can agree upon. Then the results of the documented evidence reporting negative behaviour with the customers and co-workers, the hostile work environment and substandard work performance should be presented and discussed. The employee should be allowed to explain their behaviour. However, the bottom line of the expectation the company had of the employee versus what the company got in relation to the employee’s substandard job performance and behaviour should be presented as the consequences for not complying with the company’s policies and procedures, resulting in the employee’s impending termination from the company.

No one likes bad news, whether giving it or receiving it. The approach in regard to presenting the bad news depends on the type of relationship with the recipient and how serious the situation is. As the deliverer of bad news, the situation and the recipient determine how to approach delivering the bad news. 

References:

Abigail, R., & Cahn, D. (2011). Managing conflict through communication (4^th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc, publishing as Allyn & Bacon

Roebuck, D.B. (2006). Improving business communication skills. (4^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall