GUIDE · COMMUNICATION
How to deliver bad news to your team (with example wording)
Sooner or later every manager has to share news the team won’t like: a cancelled project, a budget cut, a change of direction, a colleague leaving, a restructure. You can’t make bad news good, but you can make it clear, honest and humane, and that is what people remember.
Here is a simple structure, example wording, and how to handle the questions that follow.
A simple structure
- Say the news in the first sentence. Long build-ups make people more anxious, not less.
- Explain why, briefly and honestly, including what you don’t know.
- Say what it means for them: their work, their role, their next few weeks.
- Say what happens next and when they will hear more.
- Leave time for questions and reactions, then offer one-on-ones.
Example wording
- Cancelled project
I have disappointing news: the leadership team has decided to stop the mobile app project. Budgets have been cut and they chose to focus on the core product. I know many of you put months into this. Your roles are not affected, and we’ll plan your next work together on Thursday.
- Budget cut
Our budget for next year is 20% lower than we planned. That means we won’t be hiring the two roles we discussed. I don’t yet know which projects will be paused; I’ll have a proposal by Friday and I want your input before then.
- Change you disagreed with
This wasn’t the decision I argued for, but it has been made, and I’m going to support it. I’ll explain the reasons as I understand them, and I want to hear your concerns.
- Uncertainty
There will be changes to the team structure in the next quarter. I don’t know the details yet, and I won’t guess. I’ll tell you what I know as soon as I can share it, and no later than the end of the month.
Handling questions and reactions
- Let people react. Silence, frustration and blunt questions are normal; don’t rush to fill the gap.
- If you don’t know, say so, and say when you will find out.
- Don’t promise what you can’t control, such as “there won’t be any more cuts”.
- Follow up individually with anyone most affected, the same day if you can.
- Watch for quiet reactions over the next week. Ask “How are you finding the change?” in one-on-ones.
What to avoid
- Burying the news in a long email or the last item of a meeting.
- Blaming “them upstairs” in a way that undermines the decision you now have to carry out.
- Spin: calling a cut “an exciting opportunity”. People hear it as dishonesty.
- Telling some people informally first, so the rest hear it as a rumour.
- Disappearing afterwards. Be more available than usual for a few weeks.
Free tools for this
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell your team bad news?
Say the news in the first sentence, explain why briefly and honestly, say what it means for them and what happens next, then leave time for questions and offer one-on-ones.
Should you deliver bad news by email or in person?
In person or on a video call where possible, so people can ask questions and see you mean it. Follow up with a short written summary so everyone has the same facts.
What should you not say when delivering bad news?
Avoid promises you can’t keep, spin that dresses a loss up as an opportunity, and blaming senior leaders in a way that undermines the decision. If you don’t know something, say so and say when you’ll know.
One-minute lessons on this
TOPIC 51How your first reaction to bad news shapes what you hear next
TOPIC 45When “let’s take this offline” is really avoidance
TOPIC 28Why hiding your own mistakes teaches your team to hide theirs
TOPIC 42Why admitting you don’t know builds more trust
TOPIC 23Why silence in a meeting is not the same as agreement
TOPIC 55What to do when someone says “I’m fine”
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