Laughing Matters: The Bad News Bearers

Here's a new predictor of economic activity: When management newsletters start carrying stories about how best to convey bad news, bad times are ahead. I've noticed more and more of these articles in the newsletters I read to help me become a better manager, including Better Manager, Management Improvement, Improving Management, Managing Better Improvements and In Over Your Head. In these publications, amid stories with headlines like "Avoid Fuzzy Goals," "Get the Most From Teambuilding Sessions" and "Pick the Right Attorney for Your Sexual Harassment Hearing," I'm seeing numerous articles with tips and hints on how to fulfill the time-honored managerial role of being the bearer of bad news.

While these stories make me shudder for the future of the economy, I have to admit that the advice they offer is solid. For starters, don't assume that what you think is bad news is what your employees think is bad news. Is it bad news that the distribution center in Indianapolis is being closed? Not if your staff has been continually frustrated with the center's abysmal performance. Is it bad news that your company is cutting staff? Not if your employees understand that by "staff" you mean yourself. Is it bad news that employees will have to pay more for their health insurance? Not if you refer to the change as a "wellness incentive."

This last example is a noteworthy one, because the language you use to break bad news is of the utmost importance. You should always strive to avoid negative words like "problem." Instead, use "opportunity." When you announce a health-care benefit change, for instance, say something like "our wellness incentive looks like an insurmountable opportunity!"