One technique for delivering bad news can be borrowed from oncologists. This method is called SPIKE, and it involves six steps (Baile et al., 2000). The first step is setting up the interview (Baile et al., 2000). The conversation should be held at a suitable time and in a comfortable place where all parties can enjoy privacy. Next, the speaker should assess the listener’s perception of the current situation and then receive an invitation to share the details (Baile et al., 2020). The fourth step is to deliver the information in simple terms, checking the listener’s understanding from time to time (Baile et al., 2020). It is also helpful to warn the audience that bad news is coming to create appropriate expectations. During the fifth stage, the speaker should assess the listener’s emotional state and show empathy. The final step is to summarize the dialogue and propose a strategy for further actions. The described technique is important when breaking bad news face-to-face because it helps maintain a trusting relationship and allows the communicator to adjust the message delivery based on the listener’s response.
Another technique is the inductive approach to communicating bad news. The essence of this method is to provide reasons supporting a negative message before stating the actual negative message (Lehman et al., 2019). Moreover, when delivering bad news, the de-emphasis technique should be used to make a negative message sound positive or at least neutral (Lehman et al., 2019). The inductive approach is important because it helps to avoid the audience’s resentment, which usually happens when bad news is communicated in the first sentence. When reasons precede a negative message, recipients are more likely to pay attention to them and treat an unfavorable situation with a greater understanding. Finally, a de-emphasis technique is significant because it shifts the audience’s focus from the bad news at hand and provides the ground for positive relationships and further collaboration.
References
Baile, W. F., Buckman, R., Lenzi, R., Glober, G., Beale, E. A., & Kudelka, A. P. (2000). SPIKES — A six-step protocol for delivering bad news: Application to the patient with cancer. The Oncologist, 5(4), 302-311. Web.
Lehman, C. M., DuFrene, D. D., & Walker, R. (2019). BCOM (MindTap course list) (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.