As a Salesforce consultant, you sometimes need to deliver not-so-positive news. The recipient of this news can be a fellow colleague or a client, and the topic can be related to their performance or the project, or anything in-between.
The most popular method to deliver bad news is to use the sandwich model. It looks like this:
First, say something positive.
– Colleague: “I’ve noticed your input has really increased recently”
– Client: “We’ve really accomplished a lot in the past 2 months”
Second, share the negative news.
– Colleague: “Unfortunately, your ambition has caused some undesired ripples”
– Client: “Things just took a turn and we need to readjust the scope”
Third, end on a positive note.
– Colleague: “I’m certain if you turn down the dial a little, things would be better”
– Client: “Readjusting during the project is common, and we’ll get through this together”
Thus, the bad news is “sandwiched” between two more-positive news.
This method works, but it’s not efficient, and it’s not necessary when you’re talking to adults. We can actually simplify things using the open-face sandwich model. This looks like:
Warn them you have bad news.
Share the bad news.
End with a positive note.
Client: “I have some news to share that you’re not going to like. (pause). Our lead developer quit the company today. Our HR department has already started the recruitment process to find their replacement.”
It’s important to warn your audience for the bad news so they can mentally prepare and are not taken by complete surprise. A slight pause between sentences can be added to allow this message to digest. Then you jump straight into the “meat” of the message. End with a positive note, so the sting isn’t too strong.
The takeaway
When delivering bad news, skip the closed-face sandwich model and use the open-faced sandwich model.