We’ve all gotten THE text.

Better yet, when your boss pokes her head out of her office and asks if you’ve got a second…

Like IDK if I do or not???? Is everything okay??? Am I fired or getting a bonus?

The only thing I know for sure is that I’m breaking out into hives.

We can’t prevent everyone else from sending us into a spiral, because they don’t know better.

What we can do is not send others into a spiral on our watch, because we do know better.

5 Ways to Deliver Less Than Ideal News at Work and at Home:

#1. Never forget your cushion

Did you picture a couch cushion? Good. That’s not exactly what I’m talking about, but it’s also not entirely wrong either. In communication, the cushion is a tool used to soften a blow. It can also just make you a person that people generally enjoy talking to.

Think: great question…, I get it…, okay cool…, so glad you asked…, totally…

#2. Read the room

Last week, our sweet, kind, beloved pilot had to break the news that we’d be flying through a storm on our flight from Tampa to Boise. Totally fine. I’m doing great. Was definitely not sweating through my blazer. I’m glad that he let us know, truly. What I was not prepared for, was when he pulled out his iPad to show us the radar and just “how severe” the storm system we’d be flying through was. You do not have to tell people everything that is true. You just have to be sure that everything you tell them is true. Read that again.

Think: Is this the time? Is this the place? Should I wait? Does she actually need to know this at all?

#3. Downplay when you can

People are already generally stressed out before you even start the conversation, especially women. If the average adult makes 33,000 decisions per day, women have to be AT LEAST double that, right? Unless something is actually a huge deal, please do not make it a huge deal. If nobody’s hair is on fire, we can simply not act like our hair is on fire. Simple, but not easy.

Think: Is this news urgent or is this important? Know and understand that those are not the same.

#4. Offer next steps

Once the ball is rolling, be sure that you confidently share next steps or an alternative. A quick way to feel hopeless and helpless is to be under the impression that you don’t have any options. While very few things in life ACTUALLY leave us with no options. Offering a thoughtful alternative can save a conversation. Our favorite tool for offering an alternative and keeping the vibes high is a “what I can’t do” and “what I can do” statement.

Think: What I can’t do is hang the moon for you… What I can do is put together a job description so that we can find the person who can.

#5. Clear is kind

Listen, I know it’s tempting to beat around the bush when you’ve got less than ideal news to break. But if we’re going to a destination that I don’t want to go to anyways (Costco on a weekend), then I certainly don’t want to get lost on the way. In fact, that’s the only way it could be worse. Speak with clarity and certainty, while remembering to cushion, and you can’t go wrong.

Think: The project is kind of not going as planned and I’m not sure what is next because the emails have been very confusing so we may be okay actually but there also could be a delay. vs. We’ve had a set back with the project timeline and will be running 2 weeks later than scheduled. I’ve communicated the update to the manager and we’ll hit the ground running as soon as the shipping number is ready!

Making the world a better place by avoiding non-essential panic attacks, one conversation at a time.

Xo, The Salesgirls