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None love the messenger who brings bad news. – Sophocles
How bad news is delivered says a lot about management’s character – and their leadership.
President-elect Obama has plenty of bad news to deliver, and seems to be looking it squarely in the eye and tackling it head-on. True, it was the volume of bad news that helped to get him elected, but to date his personae is one of addressing problems directly… and millions of people want to follow him – by definition a great leader.
In a corporate setting there are many occasions when bad news must be shared. How management performs this critical function will go a long way in how they are perceived by those around them. We are currently experiencing a severe economic downturn. Bad news is everywhere. Companies missing targets. Sales people missing their bogey. Orders cancelled. Companies laying off staff. There is plenty of bad news to around, and pretty much everyone has felt at least a little of it.
Leaders who share bad news openly, honestly, and perhaps as important sincerely, will often gain additional respect of those around them, perhaps even addition people who want to follow them. Contrary to this are those people who avoid giving bad news, or do so by “communicating” in a cold or distant manner lose respect. Without the open and honest approach there is a natural tendency to wonder what else isn’t being shared that people should know about.
As defining moments go, this is one of them.
