GOOD NEWS ON FRIDAY, BAD NEWS ON MONDAY

Ever heard of the saying “Good news on Friday, bad news on Monday”?

In short…

Timing is everything! Especially when delivering news to the team.

Use bias-for-action “box-tickers” like to get things done. A dopamine fix we can’t resist.

For good news… well, Friday is the day for sure.

Isn’t it way better for people to go into a weekend feeling grateful and celebrating their wins? Also, why wait? If you have good news, deliver it! Tick that box!

But for bad news, this is one time you should be okay delaying completing a task before the week is out. Ticking that bad news box on a Friday comes with a whole lot of angst for your team.

You can be assured that…

• Their weekend family time will probably be ruined.
• They’ll overthink everything—more than they should.
• They can’t get support from other team members who may understand the situation.
• They can’t actually fix anything until the office opens on Monday—or they work through the weekend at a personal cost.

   

So, what difference will it make if the bad news is delivered on a Monday instead?

• You’ll be available to support your team with follow-ups.
• They can ask questions, process the news, and move forward together.
• Coaching, guidance, and course correction can happen in real-time.
• You may be less inclined to tick the box, after a weekend of your own reflection.

   

Leadership isn’t just about delivering news…it’s about the timing for when and how you deliver it.