<p><span>In this article you will learn the following</span><br></p><p>-<b data-redactor-tag="b">10 tips delivering bad news to employees </b></p><p>-<b data-redactor-tag="b">27 strategies for delivering bad news to boss and strengthen your credibility to create a positive brand or self-image</b></p><p>-<b data-redactor-tag="b">39 tips communicating bad news to customers</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">When you face challenges, setbacks, disappointments, screw ups, unexpected outcomes and bad news</b> - initially all these will make you feel emotionally-low <b data-redactor-tag="b">but later you may experience the thrill of overcoming obstacles and converting them into winning opportunities</b>.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Trying avoid or hide the bad-news - almost always makes it worse as no issue is going to resolve on its own</b> - avoiding it actually makes it worse and us powerless.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Bad things happen at work, all of us make blunders and goof-up big-time in almost all aspects of life</b> - <b data-redactor-tag="b">but then we also need to convey these bad-news to different types of people</b> who are getting impacted by all these happenings.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Mastering the art of communicating the bad-news or giving negative-report effectively is essential</b> - in your role - as a leader, as an employee, as a service provider and as a [as per your individual roles in your family].</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Delivering the bad-news has some basic common elements - along with the specific common-sensical do's and don'ts</b> - for each of these specific groups.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">It can feel overwhelmingly daunting - but having a productive-meaningful and appropriate conversation during a crisis requires clarity of objective, practice and patience</b> - but many times these conversations would be an inevitable part of your role and job.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">In work scenarios - most people only tell - what happened (say) to their seniors and feel that their responsibility is over as the person on whom this problem is dumped - will find the solutions</b> - which actually makes them come out as incompetent, inefficient, insensitive and maybe downright unsuitable.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">In work scenario - appearing to lose control can be very disheartening - especially when to grow and to get respected</b> you have to <b data-redactor-tag="b">seem to look capable of managing most eventuality effectively.</b></p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Mere thought of admitting that something is going wrong and that you failed to deliver what was expected</b> - could trigger major stress and anxiety in you.</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">Developing the ability to explain - any news to people in positions of power and also those who have lost a big anchor</b> - can propel your growth trajectory powerfully and positively.</p><p>Becoming proficient in this art - <b data-redactor-tag="b">starts from your learning to create - responses and action-steps </b>- that you would use in moments of crisis -to respond [<b data-redactor-tag="b">that is you need to identify, practice and master these responses when there is no crisis to make them your subconscious instant responses</b>].</p><p><b data-redactor-tag="b">27 strategies for delivering bad news to boss and strengthen your credibility to create a positive brand or self-image</b></p> <ul><li>1.Understand the problem/crisis - look at it from diversely different angles </li> <li>2.Summarize this the problem in a couple of sentences - in smart form </li> <li>3.Identify all the stakeholders - who will get impacted by this - it could be on your customers, on your team, on the entire organization or in a combination of all these stakeholders.</li> <li>4.Try to gauge the overall effect of this problem or crisis - who and how it will have adverse implications and what types of impact [e.g., financial, brand-image, job-loss, faith and trust of the customers in your organization etc.]</li> <li>5.Precisely describe the problem and then briefly describe the impacts - as concisely as you can</li> <li>6.Explain the nature of urgency - that is when the actions are needed to be taken</li> <li>7.Then move on to the most important part of the conversation — the impact of the problem and your planned solution along with actions already taken</li> <li>8.Share your solution - along an alternative plan</li> <li>9.Also keep ready - a worst-case scenario strategic plan</li> <li>10.Share what actions you have already taken</li> <li>11.Seek feedback and suggestions from your boss/seniors</li> <li>12.Get the necessary approvals and authorizations</li> <li>13.Incorporate all the ideas that have merit</li> <li>14.Implement and execute your plan</li> <li>15.Verify and correct your definition of urgent and bad with your boss's perception of urgent and bad</li> <li>16.Don't justify. Don't give an excuse. State facts, not your assumptions or your opinions - keep your emotions in check</li> <li>17.When you come to the main point - don't go round and round by beating around the bush - after building the base - deliver it straight and say it right</li> <li>18.Explain the context - as they may not be involved in day to day operations</li> <li>19.Identify how much information they need to understand the severity of the problem and its correct context</li> <li>20.Ensure that you do not dump them with excessive information - use clarity and brevity</li> <li>21.Create a script and practice exactly what you are going to say </li> <li>22.Delaying or avoiding bad news hurts your credibility. When you don't own up to difficult situations and take steps to set things right, others don't trust you and without trust, you cannot succeed at work.</li> <li>23.Find a good time to talk - when they are relatively free and calm</li> <li>24.Prepare yourself emotionally</li> <li>25.Have the whole story - and if it is needed - be prepared to share</li> <li>26.Identify all the questions that they may ask - prepare logical-rationale for all your answer </li> <li>27.Apologize if you are at fault</li></ul> <p><b data-redactor-tag="b">10 tips delivering bad news to employees </b></p> <ul><li>1.Prepare for the conversation - gather - how the decision was made, who was consulted, what other possibilities were discussed, and the rationale behind the final outcome<br> be direct and straightforward yet be thoughtful, respectful and caring -avoid your instinct to begin the conversation with small talk</li> <li>2.Don't sugar coat the news - don't try to make it sound softer - especially if you are asking them to leave - avoid mixed messages<br> in front of mirror check if - your nonverbal cues - getting communicated through your body language is not communicating what is contrary to your message</li> <li>3.Maintain your eye to eye contact with the recipient of bad news</li> <li>4.Explain how the decision was made - in case you feel it is appropriate to acknowledge your disappointment to maintain credibility - you can use some words which communicate - that although you are taking this onus of communicating - it is something that you are not fully comfortable with</li> <li>5.Never share your misgivings about your higher-ups with your people </li> <li>6.If you are the decision-maker and have taken this decision - take responsibility and offer your reasoning for the decision with needed empathy </li> <li>7.Be prepared and allow for venting - but put your foot down assertively on having a discussion or debate - you have delivered the news and explained the decision-making process now stand by the decision<br> practice hearing and facing anger, shock and surprise - without absorbing the negative energy of it</li> <li>8.Focus on what you can do to help the person -offer your support - focus on moving forward in future</li> <li>9.End the discussion the future action steps - follow through - to reestablish your honesty, transparency and decisiveness</li> <li>10.Don't overload and confuse your employees with information and data - that may create wrong impression and hinder the understanding of the main message</li></ul> <p><b data-redactor-tag="b">39 tips communicating bad news to customers</b></p> <ul><li>1.Be transparent, direct, straight-forward and honest no beating around the bush or trying to sugarcoat - as this will always make matters worse and out of your hand</li> <li>2.Tell the news upfront rather than trying to avoid sharing or hiding </li> <li>3.If it is difficult client - learn how to deal with explosive emotions without getting affected by others negativities</li> <li>4.When asked for more information - share fact-based data in a clear and concise manner</li> <li>5.When they react -be compassionate and understanding - as it is them who are facing this challenge</li> <li>6.Never offer false hope or make promises that you can't be kept -never mislead your customer</li> <li>7.But show through your sincerity that you ate there for them - and that will do all that you can</li> <li>8.Learn to apologize for the inconvenience by using words that don't sound hollow </li> <li>9.Offer your help and assistance in whatever way possible</li> <li>10.Never blame your customer, your coworkers, or anyone else for the current issue</li> <li>11.Take full responsibility for the situation - especially if you were in no-way responsible for creating this situation</li> <li>12.Learn and practice not take your customer's words and reactions personally</li> <li>13.Understand that while delivering bad news - what you say is definitely important but how you deliver your response is as important</li> <li>14.Few situations which will recur - time and again - so prepare for it using the aforesaid guidelines</li> <li>15.Price increase of your products and services</li> <li>16.Your failing to deliver in time - project delay</li> <li>17.Quality issues in your product and services</li> <li>18.Your stopping the production of some models and the resulting closer of services/parts</li> <li>19.Bugs in your customer-service or selling apps</li> <li>20.Software bugs</li> <li>21.Cost shooting your original estimates and budgets</li> <li>22.Cancellation of certain features and events</li> <li>23.Technological advancement making your products and services become uncompetitive</li> <li>24.Be proactive in informing your customer of a defect, a change or any downside to your product - don't wait for your customers to realize the issue themselves</li> <li>25.Don't be vague and don't hide any facts</li> <li>26.Describe the measures you have already taken - plus what other future actions they may see themselves</li> <li>27.Then provide a holistic solution - comprising of actions that seems to cover the current as well as future-proofing them</li> <li>28.Create and offer - symbolic atonement - if possible to make-up for the blunders that has inconvenienced your customers</li> <li>29.Identify what all questions that customer may ask you - be prepared - but most likely - customers will ask you different questions about the issue</li> <li>30.Show your customers that you are in control</li> <li>31.Do your research and prepare answers to those questions - you would yourself ask in similar situation</li> <li>32.Take responsibility - don't blame your partners, suppliers, or developers - make your customer experience a brand that has highest levels of integrity</li> <li>33.Ask your customers how they are dealing and find out how you can help them - make them feel like your top priority</li> <li>34.Focus on solving the problems of your customers - rather than trying to win argument with them</li> <li>35.Make yourself emotionally detached and facilitate a constructive dialogue between you and your customers</li> <li>36.Find ways of collaborating with your customers - to find the best solutions</li> <li>37.Promote innovation to come out with different ways you can make your customers' day - by your responses and solutions</li> <li>38.Identify the words that make a customer happy - also avoid those which offends</li> <li>39.Be quick, be transparent, be clear - accept the blame -disclose actions you are taking</li></ul><div><br></div><p>#howtodeliverbadnewstocustomers, #howtogivebadnewstoyourboss, #howtodeliverbadnewstoyouremployees, #communicatingbadnews, #boss, #Customer, #Employees</p>