Bad news is no fun to deliver. That’s why even distinguished leaders often go to great lengths to avoid doing it. For example, you might tolerate a longstanding, but mediocre, vendor instead of giving the contract to another company. Or maybe you make excuses to hold on to an underperforming employee. 

These delays buy us a reprieve, but they surely don’t improve the situation. In fact, as we hesitate, prevaricate, and beat around the bush, the underlying problem gets worse and the web of complications grows ever more tangled. 

More important, delivering bad news is an essential skill, even if it won’t win you any popularity contests. Dealing with issues promptly and decisively can save you time, energy, and even money. 

Here are four things to keep in mind the next time you need to deliver a message the other person won’t want to hear. 

1. Get to the core of the matter. Your core message is obvious when you’re giving bad news: It’s the thing you don’t want to say. Your core message might be, “We’re switching vendors,” or, “We have to let you go.” 

2. Stick to your guns. Remember, when giving bad news, you’re not negotiating, fact finding, or gathering input. Resist the temptation to get pushed, cajoled, or charmed off your message. Keep your end goal in mind and deliver your less-than-pleasant message here and now. Bad news is like taking off a Band-Aid—it’s best done quickly.

3. Explain yourself (but not too much). It’s important to make sure that the other party understands your bad news message and doesn’t walk away with the wrong impression. Strive to state your core message and explanation—the reason behind the message—in one sentence. You can repeat variants of your message and explanation if you want to say more, but don’t add new information or you may encourage a drift away from your core message.

4. Get out (of the conversation, that is). If you’ve communicated your core message, and if the other person understands, it’s probably acceptable to start thinking about an exit. You should address any obvious questions, but be wary of answering too many speculative or probing questions. 

Bottom line: When it’s time to deliver bad news, follow a simple formula: Be clear, be concise, and be gone.