Master the Art of Delivering Bad News

For talent development leaders, sharing good news is usually one of the nicest parts of the job. But, of course, projects don’t always go the way we plan.

Research published by the American Psychological Association demonstrates that people deeply dislike receiving negative communications—so much that they often seek to penalize the messenger. People believe bad-news messengers are unlikable, less trustworthy, and less competent. Worse, some individuals perceive bearers of bad news as in favor of the negativity.

Undesirable events affect people five times as often as positive ones, according to Review of General Psychology—so there’s less opportunity to deliver coveted good news. Therefore, individuals need constructive strategies to counteract the potential career risk of delivering bad news.

Based on psychology research and leadership interviews, I have created a six-step process to equip TD leaders to navigate these challenging situations.

1. Prepare your audience

At Global Tech Solutions Corp., the training director, Sarah, launched a $2.5 million sales enablement program to upskill 500 account executives in consultative selling techniques for a new enterprise software suite. The goal was to increase the average deal size by 25 percent within six months post-training. After analyzing third-quarter sales data, Sarah discovered that not only had average deal sizes failed to increase but win rates had decreased by 8 percent compared to the pre-training baseline. The results suggested the new techniques were actively disrupting established sales processes.

Sarah’s anxiety grew as she prepared for her meeting with her manager, Diego. How would she begin?

Creating a transparent, trusting, psychologically safe work environment works both ways, for the person giving and the person receiving information. Humans literally can’t think straight when something or someone surprises us—our brains freeze for one-25th of a second. Further, we react 400 percent more negatively to bad news than positive information. Therefore, when delivering negative facts, give your audience an indication that you’re about to tell them something that may be difficult to hear.

In Sarah’s case, she should start by telling her manager, “I have some difficult news to share” or “I wish I had better news.” That will give Diego a beat to prepare to listen to what Sarah has to say and reduces the likelihood of an emotional reaction.

2. Rehearse confident delivery

Sarah knew the discussion with her supervisor would be difficult. The training program had been a huge investment, and it had failed. She knew she needed to prepare for the conversation.

When in a situation such as Sarah’s, outline and rehearse your talking points in advance. Practicing enables you to gain confidence in your message and convey the right balance of gravitas, humility, and empathy that the moment requires. It also reduces speaker stress and enhances credibility.

Simply use your phone, computer, or other device (make sure it has video) and set it to record your presentation. Play the recording for yourself three times. During the first replay, don’t watch—just listen. Pay attention to your vocal tone and your pitch and listen for any filler words that distract from your message, such as “like,” “kind of,” and “um.”

The second time, watch with the sound off. Evaluate your body language to ensure that you are not detracting from your message (for example, foot tapping, excessive hand movements, or sparse eye contact).

During the third instance, watch and listen as a cohesive presentation and make any final changes to your word choice or approach.

3. Be present and focused

Sarah would undoubtedly rather be somewhere else—anywhere else—than informing her supervisor about negative results on a critical TD initiative. Her flight response may kick in. Or she may become defensive.

However, when your reputation is on the line, it’s important to be fully present and focused, providing your undivided attention and reading emotional cues. Wherever possible, conduct an in-person, face-to-face meeting. Videoconference (with camera on) is second best, followed by a live telephone call. Email and voicemail are not ideal environments to deliver bad news because they deprive you of the opportunity to immediately respond to verbal or emotional cues. The method of Sarah’s delivery may affect both how Diego receives the message as well as their relationship going forward.

4. Convey benevolent intent

When speaking with Diego, Sarah needs to show she genuinely cares. To counteract the bad-news-messenger bias, she should demonstrate benevolent intent. In this case, Sarah should tell Diego what she had hoped to achieve for the company with the TD initiative. She can share her own disappointment, commiserate with her supervisor’s feelings, and enumerate the specific actions she will enact to change the situation for the better. That will demonstrate her good intent as a trusted advisor.

5. Explain without justifying

Sarah’s data analysis revealed critical gaps: Top performers were not involved in creating the training content and her team failed to account for regional market differences. Sarah ultimately invested significant resources in a program that was actively harming business performance rather than improving it.

It’s important for Sarah to demonstrate accountability when she speaks with Diego. That means resisting the urge to make excuses, which could damage her credibility and get in the way of problem solving. People often perceive justifications and excuses as lacking in empathy and understanding and can increase frustration and resentment.

In her meeting with Diego, Sarah should provide clear, factual information without deflecting responsibility. For example, she could say, “I accept full responsibility for the negative impact of the program. I will share my initial analysis regarding how I should have approached the training design, and what I plan to do differently to get our results on track.”

6. Create a sense of urgency

When delivering bad news, it can be tempting for messengers to downplay the impact of a mistake. However, it’s critical not to minimize the cost or consequences of continuing in the negative direction. Change only happens when a sense of urgency exists.

Because Sarah’s TD initiative is negatively affecting sales results, she likely has the platform she needs to recommend significant changes to her program. Other scenarios may require leaders to advocate more forcefully to motivate change. For example, consider that new marketing regulations render a training program noncompliant. Such an unplanned surprise may require immediate advocacy by TD and legal departments to obtain additional funding for updating the content.

In the case study, Sarah demonstrates exemplary leadership in the face of adversity. While Diego is undoubtedly disappointed with the training program’s results, Sarah’s forthright approach and willingness to accept full responsibility are likely to impress him. Her actions showcase a level of professional maturity that strengthen trust and pave the way for future collaboration.

The scenario underscores the importance of accountability in leadership roles. By viewing the setback as a learning opportunity, Sarah and Diego can work together to improve future initiatives. Ultimately, the case illustrates that—with self-awareness, thorough preparation, and strong stakeholder relationships—leaders can navigate the challenges of effectively delivering bad news. Those traits not only mitigate the negative perceptions often associated with bearers of bad news but also reinforce Sarah’s credibility and foster a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.

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