What is a good/helpful response when someone tells you bad or sad personal news?

This question stemmed from a previous Quick Hits where we talked about how to give someone really bad news (https://youtu.be/f1fiA0bhtfc). This is the flip-side, when someone tells you bad news.

 

Dr Cole Galloway started us of with sage advice – engage like a human. Put the business and professional airs aside and really connect with them. Say that it is awful. Meet them where they are. And don’t jump in to solution mode.

 

Elissa Hecker followed that up with a personal story about a colleague sharing really good news (his wife was pregnant) and how it devastated her because she was struggling with doing IVF. And he was very empathic to her situation.

 

Joey Robert Parks added how easy it is to be empathic to the point of “me too-ing” and launching into a story about yourself in a somehow related situation (this being common and not helpful came up in the previous conversation too).

 

Two thirds of the way through Cole dropped a nugget that I am going to do my best to remember. When offering to support someone he suggested saying this: “I won't worry if you'll promise me that you'll reach out whenever you need something.”

 

That is so powerful.

 

At the very end I added that Cole had sent us the Brené Brown empathy vs sympathy talk. It’s less than three minutes long and relevant to this topic. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/KZBTYViDPlQ

 

What tips do you have for responding to someone who shares bad personal news with you?

 

Connect with the panelists:
Elissa D. Hecker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-d-hecker-48467711/

She is the Go-To General Counsel, Collaborative Partner, and Creative Problem Solver, for businesses and the Entertainment and Arts industries

 

Dr Cole Galloway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-galloway-1ba715107/

Recovering academic working in social justice and disability, primarily with babies as the Founder at Go Baby Go

 

Joey Robert Parks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyrobertparks/

He is an author and ghostwriter. His specialty is being able to write in any genre, often on a topic he knows nothing about, and make it read like he has done it professionally for decades. He has published millions of words in self, indie and traditional publishing.

 

Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

AKA Mental MacGyver. My doctorate is in organizational business psychology with a concentration in sport and performance. I provide luxury level, high performance support and coaching to executives, founders, celebrities and athletes.

 

Want a summary of the Quick Hits plus the links to the LinkedIn pages of each of the panelist to show up in your in-box every week? Let me know where to send it: https://drrobynodegaard.com/quick-hits-notifications/

 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on pertinent subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.MentalMacGyver.com