Business Word

Breaking the News

by Anton Holland

"What do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?"

I don't know about you, but I cringe whenever I hear someone utter that well-worn phrase, because no matter how good the good news is, I just know that the bad news is going to hit me like a ton of bricks.

But really, I guess that's all right, because the person I'm dealing with is at least offering to tell me the bad news so that I can deal with it — as opposed to telling me what they think I want to hear or hiding the truth in an attempt to avoid a bad reaction by me. Inevitably, the bad news will come to light, and probably at a time when dealing with it is exceedingly difficult.

Most of us have the tendency to fall into the trap of hiding bad news. Maybe it's because most people are optimists. Many people postpone the revelation of bad news because they feel that the longer they put it off, the more chance they'll have of solving the problem and therefore making the bad news irrelevant. What usually happens under these circumstances is that a person realizes that the problem that they are immersed in will only be solved by nothing short of divine intervention, and that they must finally confront the decaying situation.

In other cases, bad news is hidden because the person who is revealing it is terrified that the recipient's reaction will be unbearable — that the extent of the negative feelings generated in the recipient will be greatly out of proportion with the actual situation. However, people that fool themselves into believing that hiding bad news will somehow make it go away are probably not being totally honest when it comes to taking responsibility for the problem in the first place (but that in itself could be the topic of an entire column). Perhaps people who do this are really trying to hide the news from themselves.

Hiding bad news from a friend, colleague, or boss can cause significant damage to your relationship with that person. Your ability to mitigate such circumstances, however, is enhanced by the fact that these people probably have a broad understanding of your character and abilities, based on interaction that has occurred over a period of time on a regular basis. A friend may have known you all your life, a colleague may work with you on a day-to-day basis, and your boss probably has many insights into both your strengths and your weaknesses. As a result, the damage caused by panicking in a bad situation and hiding unpleasant news can be overcome with a little work because your friends, colleagues, and boss know you — you've established their trust.

Hiding bad news from a client, on the other hand, can be disastrous and cause irrevocable damage to your relationship. Building a client's trust is not something that just happens...it takes a lot of hard work. It is something that must be earned, every time you interact with them.

A new client has very little basis on which to trust you — unless you have an outstanding and world-renowned reputation, or are cousin Bob's oldest nephew from a previous marriage. To a new client, you're just another writer, a big risk of which they are constantly aware. To a client you have had for an extended period of time, their trust in you may lull them into a sense of well-being that can be shattered the minute they perceive their trust to be broken. Even though they have dealt with you over a period of months or years, the relationship has been intermittent at best, and their trust in you proportionately tenuous.

A big part of that trust is believing that the whole picture will be provided by you regarding any subject, not just in areas where you want to receive a pat on the back, but for unpleasant things that must be dealt with too. A crucial file was lost. A printing schedule must be extended for a project with a tight deadline. Production costs were accidentally misquoted. You're supposed to be the expert when it comes to the writing; the client will also expect expertise in managing your projects as well.

Hiding the news until it blows up in everyone's collective face is not the prudent approach. On the contrary, the information should come to light as soon as possible, and a solution found. Here are some things to remember:

• Settle responsibility right away. Before you call a client to tell them of the news, determine who was responsible for the problem. If it was something out of your control, your approach will be different than if the problem was directly the result of a mistake you made.
• Try to solve the problem. Whether you solve the problem right away or not, you may still have to mention it to your client. If the information comes out after a solution has been found, however, you're in a much better position to mitigate any damage that may be caused. You may not find a solution right away, though — just don't use this step as a way to put off the inevitable.
• Get some assistance. If you work in a team environment, other people who have had similar experiences may be able to help you. Get their input and apply it to your situation.
• Come up with options. If the problem can't be solved before a client becomes involved, be prepared with several options to get the situation under control. Show the client that although you erred in this case, you are working hard to minimize the damage.
• Make the call. Eventually, you have to inform someone of the problem. Don't let the situation drag on and fester. Inform your client in an atmosphere of diligent problem solving, not one of timid futility.

When you do pass the information along, don't just leave it on the other person's shoulders. Be the one to implement a solution if it's at all possible. That's what they hired you for, isn't it?