A difficult commercial decision can carry a very personal weight. A customer relationship may need to change. A process may be creating problems for colleagues. A commitment made with good intentions may no longer be sustainable.
Leaders can hesitate because they understand that the consequences reach beyond a spreadsheet. That care matters. It becomes more useful when it shapes a timely, thoughtful conversation rather than leaving people to live with uncertainty.
Separate the issue from assumptions about people
Start with what you know, what you do not know and who can help explain the gap. A missed commitment may reflect an unclear handover, competing priorities or a decision that nobody realised they owned.
Describe the behaviour or outcome that needs attention without turning it into a judgement about someone's character. This makes it easier for people to contribute information and take responsibility for a practical change.
Listen before settling on the answer
Consulting those affected is valuable when there is still room for their perspective to influence the decision. Explain which parts are open for discussion and which constraints are already established.
In a service business, a change to commercial terms might affect the customer, the account manager and the people delivering the service differently. Hearing those perspectives can improve the decision and reveal how best to carry it through.
Be clear if a decision has already been made. Asking for input as though the outcome were undecided can leave people feeling that their time and trust have been used unfairly.
Explain the trade-off with care
People do not need every confidential detail to deserve a coherent explanation. Set out the problem, the options considered and why the chosen approach is proportionate. Acknowledge what it will make more difficult as well as what it is intended to improve.
- What is the practical reason for the change?
- Who will be affected, and how have their views been considered?
- What support or transition is available?
- What happens next, and who can answer questions?
A calm explanation will not remove every disagreement. It gives people a clearer basis on which to understand the choice and respond to it.
Make the follow-through match the conversation
Trust is tested after the announcement. If you promise a follow-up, schedule it. If responsibilities change, record them. If a customer needs time to adjust, be explicit about the transition and the limits of what can be offered.
Return to the people affected to understand how the decision is working in practice. An unintended consequence is information to address, not a reason to defend the original decision at all costs.
Commercial accountability and consideration for others can reinforce one another. A leader who listens properly, explains clearly and follows through consistently makes difficult work more manageable for everyone involved.
Expanded website edition of a post by Robbie Campbell. View the original LinkedIn post (opens in a new tab).