For anyone in leadership, delivering bad news is simply an unfortunate part of the job. While in a perfect world there would be no bad news to deliver, we unfortunately don’t live in this world, and bad news will come up that you’ll need to break to your team. Part of compassionate leadership is learning how to deliver bad news, and to do so in a way that shows empathy, connection, communication, and a desire to work together. Conscious leadership is just that, conscious, and consciousness needs to be observed even when times get difficult.
The first thing you should do is be mindful of your compassion in compassionate leadership, and to show that you yourself care about the feelings and the effect the news has on your team. Being cold or unfeeling creates an image of disconnect, which is exactly what you don’t want when you want to retain the spirits of your team. Avoid “corporate speak” or using overly professional language, and instead speak with your team like human beings you value in your business success. Allow your team to vent back to you, and allow the expression of feelings regarding the news you’ve just delivered.
Chances are, your team will have questions after you deliver the news, and for good reason. If the news involves circumstances like layoffs, pay cuts, or team rearrangements, the impact of the news will impact them directly now and going forward. When you’re taking questions, make sure to practice active listening to your team, and to really understand what your team is trying to get across. This allows you to be in the moment, and to provide the types of answers that provide value to the situation.
Lastly, you’ll also want to follow up with your team as changes take place. Perhaps they have more questions than they believed when the news first broke, or they’re feeling a certain way about different changes being made. Following up with your team ensures that you all remain on the same page.
At Technalink, we know the true value of retaining connections through difficult times, and we believe that these connections should be nurtured even when circumstances get tough.
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