Delivering bad news
Here’s another quick and easy strategy from my favorite negotiator, Chris Voss.
If your doctor is giving you a shot and says, “This isn’t going to hurt,” but then it does hurt, what will you be thinking about your doc? They have just lost some of your trust.
On the other hand, if your doc says, “This is going to hurt” and then gives you the shot, chances are you’ll be thinking, oh that wasn’t so bad.
Completely different outcome, just from the setup.
Voss says when you’ve got some bad news to deliver, open with your version of, “I’ve got some bad news,” then give them a few seconds to brace themselves before you hit them with it.
