Hope For The Future
Inspired by on Lenny's Podcast
When delivering bad news to an employee, always include hope for the future - which is exactly what you should do when telling your toddler they can't have a cookie right now.
Alisa Cohn coaches execs on difficult conversations. The most overlooked element?
'Hope for the future is so important. I know this is going to be challenging for you to hear, not going to promote you, but I want you to know this. It's really important to me that you're able to succeed in your career here, and so I want to continue to help you find opportunities to build your skills and to advance.'
This works word-for-word with toddlers.
'No cookie right now. But after dinner, we can have dessert together, and I'm really excited about that.'
'No park today because of rain. But tomorrow, if it's sunny, we'll go and you can bring your bike.'
The 'no' lands. The disappointment happens. But the hope creates a bridge.
'We're in such a rush to deliver the bad news that we forget there's a human being over there who needs hope for the future.'
Small humans especially.
PM Theme: Delivering difficult feedback
Parenting Theme: Softening disappointment with future promises
“Hope for the future is so important. I know this is going to be challenging for you to hear, not going to promote you, but I want you to know this. It's really important to me that you're able to succeed in your career here, and so I want to continue to help you find opportunities to build your skills and to advance.”Alisa Cohn · 00:00:10
“We're in such a rush to kind of deliver the bad news that we forget there's a human being over there who needs hope for the future.”Alisa Cohn · 00:27:21
