Communicating Bad News to Your Boss…

The simple rule of communication must be observed: “The truth requires two agents, one to tell and the other to listen”. But what happens when the listener is only open to one type of information? What happens when ears are closed to ‘naked’ truth which you may consider as vital information for your boss to know? Francois de Callieres in his book, ‘On the Manner of Negotiating with Princes’, gives us some very useful practical advice in the following short story.

Esteven de Gamarre was the Spanish ambassador to the Low Countries at the turn of the 18^th century. Apparently this gentleman was very direct and candid in his reporting to the King and his Council in Madrid. However, as the years passed, he saw that he wasn’t picking up any honours and nor was he promoted, which he found bewildering. So he went to Madrid and met his cousin, who served as one of the King’s ministers. His cousin, having heard his list of grievances, replied quietly that he had no one else to blame but himself. His sincerity was the obstacle to his promotion. Much of the information he communicated back to Madrid had been full of distasteful truths which had made the King and his senior ministers nervous.

One answer

Accepting the advice of his cousin, Don Esteven returned to his post in the Low Countries and changed his tack. From then on, all his communications with the King and Council in Madrid had a positive flavour. He realised the simple fact that Spanish Court wanted to be deceived. They didn’t appreciate negative information even if it were correct and, as history shows, Esteven de Gamarre was rewarded with promotion and titles. He soon became a favourite in Madrid. They wanted comfortable news and were not prepared in normal circumstances to listen to anything else. “The truth requires two agents”, as De Callieres tells us, “one to tell and another to listen”.

Second answer

Bad news hurts, and executives find it difficult to deliver bad news to the person in charge. Andrew Rawnsley’s account of Gordon Brown’s premiership in the UK has received attention for its claims that Mr. Brown was abusive and physically threatening to his staff, grabbing lapels, stabbing upholstery with his pen and causing his advisers to cower for fear of violence. If true, that is disturbing – but few people will have found it surprising. High-status men sometimes do abuse that status.

“If you deliver bad news, you’re disempowering yourself,” says Professor David Sims of Cass Business School. “You’re less likely to be listened to in the future.” For some ambitious subordinates, this is a far worse fate than the threat of being thumped. But here are some ideas that may help in the communication process:

• Make sure you have reported good news previously – otherwise you may be blamed (shoot the messenger). Don’t attempt to give bad new to a difficult boss without having a solid reputation .
• No surprises
• Speak to the CEO and agree with his view with some reservation (creating a doubt)
• Pick one aspect of the CEOs position and show that it is wrong (see Mark Anthony strategy: demolish one argument at a time).
• If necessary, show another specific point that is wrong.
• Have your solution ready and an action plan.
• Then show how the action plan could be really beneficial to the company without commenting on the CEOs original position.
• Don’t threaten the CEOs power base.
• If this is successful, explain the whole story.