'%3e%3crect%20x='630.6'%20y='473'%20width='150.8'%20height='153.4'%20fill='url(%23paint0_linear_7824_22290)'%20fill-opacity='0.35'%3e%3c/rect%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20d='M677.4%20667.31C708.991%20667.31%20734.6%20641.7%20734.6%20610.11V472.31H677.4V667.31Z'%20fill='%23EF3472'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M445.6%20444C445.821%20444%20446%20444.179%20446%20444.4V497.6C446%20497.821%20446.179%20498%20446.4%20498H484.6C484.821%20498%20485%20498.179%20485%20498.4V538.6C485%20538.821%20484.821%20539%20484.6%20539H446.4C446.18%20539%20446%20539.141%20446%20539.361V600C446%20604%20446%20616%20456%20622C465.088%20627.453%20482.434%20624.647%20485.523%20624.09C485.772%20624.045%20485.999%20624.228%20486%20624.48V666C486%20668%20456%20669%20451%20668C446%20667%20430%20666%20413.5%20653C397%20640%20399%20615%20399%20615V539.4C399%20539.179%20398.821%20539%20398.6%20539H369.4C369.179%20539%20369%20538.821%20369%20538.6V498.4C369%20498.179%20369.179%20498%20369.4%20498H398.6C398.821%20498%20399%20497.821%20399%20497.6V444.4C399%20444.179%20399.179%20444%20399.4%20444H445.6Z'%20fill='%23383838'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M155.6%20415C155.821%20415%20156%20415.179%20156%20415.4V555.969C156%20556.334%20156.449%20556.508%20156.695%20556.238L208.881%20499.131C208.957%20499.048%20209.064%20499%20209.176%20499H265.109C265.454%20499%20265.639%20499.408%20265.41%20499.666L203.211%20569.762C203.088%20569.901%20203.077%20570.108%20203.186%20570.26L270.547%20664.367C270.736%20664.632%20270.548%20664.999%20270.223%20665H213.205C213.077%20665%20212.956%20664.938%20212.881%20664.834L170.285%20605.396C170.138%20605.191%20169.838%20605.173%20169.666%20605.357L156.107%20619.885C156.038%20619.959%20156%20620.057%20156%20620.158V664.6C156%20664.821%20155.821%20665%20155.6%20665H108.4C108.179%20665%20108%20664.821%20108%20664.6V415.4C108%20415.179%20108.179%20415%20108.4%20415H155.6Z'%20fill='%23383838'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M341.6%20499C341.821%20499%20342%20499.179%20342%20499.4V664.6C342%20664.821%20341.821%20665%20341.6%20665H295.4C295.179%20665%20295%20664.821%20295%20664.6V499.4C295%20499.179%20295.179%20499%20295.4%20499H341.6Z'%20fill='%23383838'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cpath%20d='M318.5%20416C333.964%20416%20346.5%20428.536%20346.5%20444C346.5%20459.464%20333.964%20472%20318.5%20472C303.036%20472%20290.5%20459.464%20290.5%20444C290.5%20428.536%20303.036%20416%20318.5%20416Z'%20fill='%23383838'%3e%3c/path%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_7824_22290'%20x1='781.4'%20y1='549.7'%20x2='630.6'%20y2='549.7'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.314103'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.677977'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-opacity='0'%3e%3c/stop%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
The Sentence Before the Bad News
kitUP Originals
What's it about?
Robert Buckman and Walter Baile's SPIKES protocol, developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center and published in The Oncologist in 2000, reveals what oncologists learned from the hardest conversations imaginable: delivering life-altering news isn't about finding the right words but making room for them. The framework dismantles Kübler-Ross's five stages as empirically unsupported myth, citing George Bonanno's longitudinal research showing most grieving people never pass through predictable phases. A Dutch study found patients recalled less than 25 percent of post-diagnosis information, proving that after the first sentence, a door closes.
You'll learn:
- Why the warning shot reduces shock more than any softening phrase
- How attentional narrowing erases everything you say after the news
- The single move that redistributes power before you speak
Start listening. Ideas are waiting for you.
Join a learning community of over 37 million people. Fill your daily routine with the world's best ideas.
Get Started