Planning what will be said helps the receiver as well as the bearer of the news
At some point in our lives, most of us will likely be asked to deliver bad news to another person.
Here is just a sampling of a few types of bad news:
• An employer must inform his/her employee of termination or layoff.
• A health care professional must give an unfavorable prognosis to a patient.
• A law enforcement official has the responsibility of reporting a tragedy to the accident victim’s family.
Figuring out the most humane, compassionate and effective way of communicating unfavorable announcements to another individual requires thought and planning.
Not only does this planning help the receiver of negative consequences, it also assists the bearer of bad tidings in dealing with his or her own feelings.
The following are some suggestions for those who must break bad news to others:
• Be sensitive and knowledgeable about the emotions that the receiver of bad news is going to experience. Shock, disbelief, numbness, followed by bargaining anger and depression are all normal stages in the grief and loss process.
The individual receiving bad news may be so stunned that they misinterpret, completely deny and refuse to hear what is being said to them.
The deliverer needs to be able to spend enough time during the communicating process to be sure the receiver understands and acknowledges receiving the unfortunate pronouncement.
• Be prepared to answer questions when possible, but don’t spend too much time going into details that the receiver of bad news may not be ready to hear.
• Let the other person know that you care and experience sorrow for them, but refrain from letting your own emotions make a tragic situation even more complicated.
• Be prepared to offer follow-up suggestions of support, such as helping them contact other family members, making sure that they are capable of handling the crisis without being a danger to themselves or someone else. In general, be as supportive as your role will permit you to be in a situation.
• Don’t make the situation worse by offering unrealistic or untruthful statements that offer false hope.
• Don’t make statements like, “I know how you feel” or, “This hurts me as much as it does you.”
Let your role be more of a sounding board and listener rather than a problem solver and “fixer.”
The manner in which bad tidings are delivered can make a difference in the way the receiver handles the tragedy.
Copyright c 1995 Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.
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I’m an experienced Clinical Practitioner, Administrator, Professional Writer, and Lecturer.
