Ask What They Know First
Use a short perception check before delivering bad news when the receiver may already have partial information.
Principle: start from their map before you draw yours. What perception checking does A perception check asks the receiver to share what they believe is happening. It gives you signal about rumors, assumptions, and readiness. In a workplace setting, it often takes less than 20 seconds and prevents several minutes of misaligned explanation. What it is not It is not asking someone to guess bad news. "Do you know why I called?" can sound like a trap. A better line is, "Before I explain what we know, what have you heard so far?" You still take responsibility for the headline.…
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