Soft Skills & Wellbeing About 40 minutes

Delivering Bad News Training

Build practical skills for delivering difficult messages clearly and compassionately, while managing the reactions that often follow.

  • CPD Accredited
  • CPD Service
Add to basket £25.00 + VAT Request a callback Browse all courses
Overview

What this course covers

How difficult news is delivered leaves a lasting mark on trust, morale and working relationships. Handled poorly, these conversations can damage reputations and increase the risk of conflict or complaints. This course offers a practical framework for preparing, framing and delivering difficult messages with honesty and care.

It also covers how to manage strong emotional reactions calmly and bring a conversation to a constructive close. The skills apply equally to managers giving performance feedback and to customer-facing staff who need to share unwelcome updates.

What you'll learn

Skills you'll walk away with

  • Explain why structure and empathy matter when delivering bad news
  • Prepare and frame a difficult conversation beforehand
  • Deliver news clearly and honestly without softening the key point
  • Balance empathy with assertiveness throughout the conversation
  • Manage strong emotional reactions calmly and professionally
  • Close a difficult conversation and agree clear next steps
Who it's for

Designed with these roles in mind

  • Managers, supervisors and team leaders
  • HR and people teams
  • Customer-facing and account management staff
  • Healthcare and care workers
  • Anyone who has to deliver difficult news at work
Course content

Modules included

6 short lessons that build sequentially. Learners can pause and resume at any point on any device.

  1. 01 Why delivering bad news is a skill worth developing
  2. 02 Preparing for and framing the conversation
  3. 03 Five actions for delivering bad news well
  4. 04 Managing emotions and strong reactions
  5. 05 Empathy, assertiveness and tone
  6. 06 Following up and supporting the recipient
Assessment

How competence is checked

Learners complete a final assessment covering conversation preparation and emotional management before receiving their certificate.

Certificate

What learners receive

A personalised, CPD accredited certificate is available to download instantly on completion.

FAQ

Common questions

How long do learners have to complete the course?
Access is open-ended. Once assigned, learners can log in on any device, work at their own pace, pause and resume, and complete the course whenever it suits them.
What happens if a learner fails the end-of-course test?
Learners can retake the test until they pass. Progress is tracked automatically so nobody loses their place.
How is the certificate delivered?
The certificate is generated instantly on completion and available to download as a personalised PDF. Copies are stored in the admin dashboard for compliance records.
Can we buy licences in bulk for a team?
Yes. Volume pricing is available from as few as five licences and scales for larger workforces. Request a callback for a tailored quote.
Is the training accessible on mobile devices?
Yes. The course runs in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or mobile. There is nothing to install.
Do you offer reporting for compliance audits?
Yes. The admin dashboard provides completion reports, certificate downloads and audit-ready logs by learner or by team.
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Ready to roll out Delivering Bad News Training to your team?

Speak to a compliance advisor for volume pricing, admin dashboard access and same-day setup.

Call 01202 006 464 Request a callback

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Contacted myself yesterday in regards to my application, I expressed i were unable to speak at the time of call and had asked for a call back at a specific time the following day. Prompt call back today, given correct important information regarding the course I selected and made to feel comfortable throughout the call. Very polite, great telephone manner. Did not pressure any choices from me. Appreciated the call very much.

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Callam Steven's is brilliant he was so incoraging and supportive,im the older generation and never done anything like this before he gave me the confidence I needed.

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I honestly can’t recommend LearnDirect enough. The staff have been so understanding and supportive throughout my course. I was diagnosed with cancer nearly two years ago, and understandably, I struggled to keep up with my work and complete my course while dealing with everything that came with it. Now that I’m cancer free and feeling ready to get back on track with my studies and prepare for university, LearnDirect have been incredibly understanding. They have given me a one-year extension to complete my course, which has taken so much pressure off me and given me the time I need to focus on getting myself back to where I want to be. I’m genuinely so grateful for how understanding the staff have been. They don’t make you feel like you’re just another student — they actually listen, understand your circumstances and want the best for you. A massive thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my course. It really means a lot :)

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