This little tip will help you when having to give bad news. A team leader to his staff member about their holiday request, the sales team with another delay in the CRM system implementation, the customer whose mortgage has been rejected, a surveyor detailing the pitfalls of the property.
All you need to do is use the term because. Let me share two examples
On Sunday evening our plane was taxing out of Heathrow Terminal 5 on route to Tehran. Settled in my comfortable seat awaiting supper, the Captain announced “Bad news I’m afraid, we’ll be sitting on the tarmac for an hour before take-off, it’s all ok at this end but its because German Air Traffic Control won’t let us through their air space until 22:00 hours”
On the train, the 08:17 to London Paddington, we were told of a delay in departure because the crew at the supply depot were late in arriving.
But the coffee was good.
Why is the word “Because” comforting? Little is known why but a myriad of tests have been carried out comparing this word with others and “because” wins out every time. I believe its because the word is reassuring, as children we heard it many times by our parents to justify actions we didn’t care with.
“Can I have an ice cream please mummy?”
“No darling”
“Why mummy?”
“Well…because”
Its true, so next time you need to give bad news use the word because to justify.
