1. © Trusted Advisor Associates LLC, 2009 all rights reserved
How to Deliver Bad News and Build
Trust at the Same Time

2. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green

3. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
In this “moment of truth,” what
should I do?
A. Leave the room
B. Answer both questions
C. Share what I learned at University
D. Redirect attention to the client

4. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Here’s what I thought then:
It’s impossible to
deliver bad news
without degrading
trust.

5. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Here’s what I know now:
It is entirely possible to
deliver bad news and
dramatically increase
trust in the process.

6. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Today, we’ll explore …
1. what it really means to be
trustworthy
2. some unconventional
wisdom about bad news
3. a delivery technique that’s
tried and true
www.trustedadvisor.com/pmiwdcreston

7. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Looking up “trust” in the dictionary is
a waste of time
trust

8. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
The Trust Equation (cont.)
R
T trustworthiness
R reliability
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

9. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
The Trust Equation (cont.)
C + R
T trustworthiness
C credibility
R reliability
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

10. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
The Trust Equation (cont.)
C + R + I
T trustworthiness
C credibility
R reliability
I intimacy
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

11. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
The Trust Equation (cont.)
T trustworthiness
C credibility
R reliability
I intimacy
S self-orientation
C + R + I
S
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

12. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Next up:
1. what it really means to be
trustworthy
2. some unconventional
wisdom about bad news
3. a delivery technique that’s
tried and true

13. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green

14. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Conventional wisdom can’t be trusted
“Be objective/factual”
“Bring solutions to the
table”
“Stay positive”

15. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
It skews to the rational side of
trustworthiness
T trustworthiness
C credibility
R reliability
I intimacy
S self-orientation
C + R + I
S
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

16. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Unconventional wisdom, on the other
hand, rounds out the equation
Show some
vulnerability
Take responsibility
Make
room for
reactions
Dare to collaborate
Set expectations up front

17. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Finally:
1. what trustworthiness
really takes
2. some unconventional
wisdom about bad news
3. a delivery technique that’s
tried and true

18. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green

19. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Try this three-part technique
1. Inventory all concerns,
risks, fears (yours)
2. Use caveats to say
them out loud
3. Articulate the issue
(Tip: 10 words or less)

20. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Name It and Claim It is a socially
acceptable way to put hard truths
on the table
“I may be completely missing the mark here, and I
sure don’t want to step on any toes. I’m concerned
we don’t have the executive sponsorship we need.”
“There’s really no easy way to say this. We’re not
going to make the deadline.”
“At the risk of embarrassing myself, I’ve lost sight
of what we’re really trying to accomplish.”

21. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Saying the hard stuff can be a trust
trifecta
T trustworthiness
C credibility
R reliability
I intimacy
S self-orientation
C + R + I
S
T =
Source: The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green, and Galford, The Free Press, 2000

22. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Today, we’ve explored …
1. what trustworthiness
really takes
2. some unconventional
wisdom about bad news
3. a delivery technique that’s
tried and true

23. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
Here’s what’s in your goodie bag
www.trustedadvisor.com/pmiwdcreston

24. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green

25. © 2012 Andrea P. Howe. All rights reserved. Developed in partnership with Charles H. Green
How will you choose …
… to set yourself apart?
Andrea Howe
andrea@bossanovaconsulting.com
1-202-906-0485
@AndreaPHowe
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