Nobody likes to give bad news. However, shying away from it and avoiding the situation often leads to larger problems down the road. Confronting tough issues directly shows respect for others. Ignoring or minimizing negative information, however, can lead to resentment and a lack of trust.

Regardless of the situation, whether it is related to a difficult decision impacting people’s work, negative employee behavior, work errors, or an unfortunate change in the marketplace, sharing information about negative issues or events is key to gaining trust and being able to make needed changes. Don’t shy away from the negative, difficult or controversial issues.

There are several key elements to delivering negative information:

Be direct – Tell the truth. People can sense double-talk. Get to the point and keep the message on target.

Be human – Admit mistakes and your role in them. Apologize if necessary.

Respond quickly – Addressing the issue promptly demonstrates that you are able to tackle difficult issues.

Be respectful – Understand that others may react negatively. Empathize with their position.

Don’t point fingers – Stay focused on the behavior or situation rather than on specific individuals.

Maintain control – Do not digress into other issues.

Identify a plan – Share ideas for addressing the issue including a timeline.

A key part of improving your communications skills is frequent check ins. Make sure your communication is not limited to annual performance reviews. There’s no such thing as too much communication. To be effective you need to keep your finger on the pulse of every part of the employee experience. Employees that don’t feel they’re in a dialogue with their manager often leave.