Why is delivering bad news so hard to do? What are the tactics we use to avoid or postpone it? What can we do to get out of our own way so we can work the problem and get results faster?
When bad things happen on projects, telling people is difficult. This tough job almost always falls on the project manager. In Delivering Bad News in Good Ways, Alison H. Sigmon, M.Ed., PMP gives project managers a practical, easily applied method for quickly assessing and effectively responding to the need to deliver difficult news appropriately.
Packed with anecdotal stories, research-supported facts, and “in the field” tips, the book is built around a core process that guides project managers through several stages: learning the bad news themselves, creating a message tailored to their team’s needs, delivering the news in a way recipients can process it, and working with the team to develop ways to move forward.
In Sigmon’s words, “Delivering bad news is a triumph over our own pain and discomfort. It is a path to greater good when shared with compassion and purpose.” Among these pages, project managers will learn Sigmon’s Separate, Evaluate, and Deliver Method, a three-step process to help project managers take control of their own feelings, step back from and analyze their reactions, and to come out the other side with the right message for the right audience.
Delivering Bad News in Good Ways for Projects is the first in a series of publications tailored to specific groups. Future publications will address the specific needs of healthcare professionals, educators, executives, couples, teens, and parents.
