Five Tips to Deliver Bad News - Emerging Nurse Leader

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Everyone likes good news, but sometimes leaders are asked to deliver bad news to their staff. It’s even harder when you don’t agree with the message or decision you’re communicating. Many leaders have asked me recently – What is the best way to message bad news? The bad news could reduce personal benefits, involve redeployment to another clinical area, or be a termination. Delivering these messages in a way that is compassionate yet clear is not easy. Leaders often struggle with communicating difficult news, sometimes making things worse through poor messaging. Here are five tips from Amy Gallo, an expert, in this area:

Strategize the messaging – Be sure you are clear about all aspects of the decision before talking with your employees. Specifically, you need to know how the decision was made, who was consulted, what other possibilities were discussed, and the rationale behind the outcome.
Start with a direct, clear message – Let the staff know that this is a final, non-negotiable decision. Don’t sugar coat a tough decision. Messaging is not only about what you say but your non-verbal communication as well. Don’t avoid eye contact or slump your shoulders.
Explain the “why” of the decision – Talk about the rationale and process used to the decision. Explain what steps were taken to arrive in this place and any critical findings during the process. If staff can see that the decision-making process was sound and fair – the decision is often easier to accept. Don’t share with staff if you disagree with the decision – you can advocate with your leadership, but once a decision is reached, you need to support it.
Allow staff to vent but not to debate – Once you present the decision, ask staff for their reaction. Part of your role as a leader is to be the shock absorber for your staff. Don’t debate the merits of the decision or feed into any criticism of the leadership.
Focus on the future – Allow some time for the news to be absorbed and understood after the initial messaging. Some staff may want to speak with you privately about their individual concerns. Once that has happened – shift your focus to the future and moving forward. Don’t have conversations that revisit the decision as this can be misunderstood by staff as opening the door for renegotiation.

Part of being a leader is being able to communicate in good times and bad. Winston Churchill was a firm believer in being very transparent with the British about how bad things were and could get during World War 2. He once said, “the British nation is unique in this respect: They are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.” In some senses, I believe nurses are also like this. We are a profession that delivers and watches bad news delivered to patients every day. I found in my work that nurses often told me – don’t sugarcoat this – tell me how bad this could get – and so I did.

Reference

Gallo, A. (March 30th, 2015 HBR Blog) How to Deliver Bad News to Your Employees.

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