by Heidi Grant Halvorson - Fast Company

One of the toughest parts of being a leader is having to tell your people what they don't want to hear.

No, you won't be getting a promotion at this time.

There aren't going to be any bonuses this year.

Your request for a new hire has been denied.

I know you already feel overworked, but here are 3 new projects you'll need to complete this quarter.

There's no way to disguise the fact that bad news is bad news, so you can never hope to entirely remove its sting. But you can learn to deliver bad news is a way that softens the blow, by increasing the chances that it will be perceived as fair. To do that, you'll need to tailor your message to the motivational style of your employee.

Some people tend to see their goals as opportunities for gain or advancement. In other words, they are focused on all the great things that will happen for them when they succeed--the benefits and rewards. Psychologists call this a promotion focus, and research shows that promotion-minded people are more motivated by optimism and praise, and more likely to embrace risk and excel at creativity and innovation.

Others tend to see their goals as opportunities to avoid loss, to fulfill their responsibilities, and to stay safe. They don't want to lose what they have worked so hard to achieve, and worry about all the bad things that will happen if they make a mistake. Psychologists call this a prevention focus, and the prevention-minded are more motivated by criticism and the looming possibility of failure than they are by applause and a sunny outlook. Prevention-focused people are more risk-averse, but their work is also more thorough, more accurate, and more carefully-planned.

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