Your Team’s Watching How You React
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I used to be a “Cheerleader.”
Enthusiastic. Energized. Always pumping people up.
And as you might guess, I wasn’t great at hearing bad news.
It didn’t match my vibe. I had big visions and high hopes—and when someone came at me with a risk, a challenge, a reality check… I’d brush it off or bulldoze past it.
That was a mistake.
Because leaders don’t just need to sell the vision.
We need to see the truth.
Here are 5 things you need to know about delivering and receiving bad news—because the way you handle it shapes your credibility, your culture, and your team’s capacity for real change:
I.
Bad news is a leadership competency
If you can’t hear it, you can’t lead.
And if you can’t share it, you can’t be trusted.
Your team is constantly scanning your reactions and deciding whether you’re safe, open, and real. If they think you can’t handle the truth, they’ll stop telling you.
Try this:
When someone brings you a problem, start with: “Thanks for sharing this. Let’s dig in.” Normalize the conversation. Signal safety.
II.
“Don’t bring me problems” is organizational malpractice
You’ve heard it. Maybe you’ve said it.
But here’s what it does: it tells problem finders—often your most observant, systems-savvy people—to shut up.
Not everyone’s wired to be a fixer. But many are world-class at seeing patterns, risks, and early warning signs. When you dismiss problems, you lose your earliest signal.
Try this:
Say: “Bring me the problem as soon as you see it. We’ll figure out the solution together.”
III.
Good news buries risk, bad news reveals it.
If everything seems rosy all the time, it’s probably a mirage.
Real progress comes with friction. Smart leaders know how to spot the gap between what’s being said and what’s really happening.
And when someone on your team shares a hard truth? That’s not disloyalty, it’s a gift.
Try this:
Ask this at the end of your next meeting: “What’s something we might be missing?” Then wait. Let the silence work for you.
IV.
Delivery matters but so does courage
There’s a difference between being brutally honest and just being brutal.
Sharing tough news doesn’t have to be blunt-force trauma. It needs to be clear, direct, and grounded in care.
Try this:
Say: “This may be hard to hear, but I’d want to know if I were you. Here’s what I’m seeing…” Make your intent explicit: you care enough to be honest.
V.
The way you respond teaches people how to show up
Every reaction is a training moment.
If you flinch, shut down, or shoot the messenger, you’re teaching your team to edit the truth.
Try this:
The next time someone surfaces bad news, respond with curiosity first. “Tell me more. What makes you say that?” Even if you disagree, they’ll know you’re listening.
Your Unignorable Move
You can’t lead transformation if you can’t lead truth.
Your job isn’t to avoid bad news. It’s to create the kind of culture where it’s safe to surface it.
Because truth doesn’t kill momentum.
It clears the path.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. Got feedback? I’m ready for the bad news. Seriously—was this edition a hit or a miss? Your reactions shape what I write next. Just email me at chris@peoplebeforethings.co (not .com) and let me know.
