If you have some news that’s going to disappoint someone it can be tempting to delay telling them. Whether they react well or badly, the sooner you tell them the sooner everyone can deal with the consequences. Better to rip the plaster off and get on with doing whatever is necessary than delaying in the hope of avoiding some conflict.

Having some ideas of what to do next can help. Assuming there’s nothing that can change the news then being able to start the conversation about what to do about it moves everyone forward. It’s easy, and maybe required, to spend some time being disappointed but sitting round wishing the world was different isn’t going to make it happen.

Are you putting off delivering some bad news? Why?