The Psychology of Business Communication
This is the time of year when mirth and good cheer abound. With 24-7 Rudolph sightings and carols on the airwaves, negativity can be kept for another day.
When that day rolls around and you have some bad news to deliver to a client, this Legal Times article compels you to ask: What Would Winston Churchill Do?
Apparently, after the Germans defeated the French army in 1940, Churchill “gave what was probably the greatest example ever of conveying very bad news in an effective way.” He didn’t mince words or sugar-coat the truth. He communicated the information clearly and directly, ending with a rousing call for the British Empire and its Commonwealth to face “their finest hour.”
As the article suggests, inadvertently or not, Churchill used the psychology of communication to command a difficult situation. He seemed to recognize that people are more likely to accept bad news when it’s:
- Candidly presented
- Teamed with a plan for remedial action
Similarly, according to Thom Singer, we can remedy a bad business relationship by candidly communicating a request to clean the slate (post tipped by Chris Bailey). However, as Singer points out, taking the lead on fixing a challenged relationship is "not the same as admitting guilt. Instead it shows you really care about your [business connections] and are willing to give folks a second chance.”
Pamela Slim embraces this kind of openness and honesty in a recent post on the importance of communicating an apology. Slim misused the word “crass” when describing someone in one of her blog posts. Instead of handling his upset behind the scenes, Slim publicized her misstep for all her readers to see and learn from.
