Getting Emotionally Involved May Be A Better Way To Cope When Giving Employees Bad News

Sometimes managers must do things that hurt employees, such as firing them, demoting them, or giving them bad news. Managers used to believe that doing these necessary but evil activities required managers to be cold, emotionless, and to deliver company-written scripts in an almost robot-like manner. Today’s best managers know that it can be better to show one’s feelings and to identify with the person receiving the bad news, rather than to hide from those feelings. Sharing the bad experience with the employee may actually help the manager cope better when performing necessarily evil behaviors in the workplace.

Source: Margolis, J. D., & Molinsky, A. 2008. Navigating the bind of necessary evils: Psychological engagement and the production of interpersonally sensitive behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 51, 847-872.