The six SPIKES steps: the big picture

Remember the order of the six steps and the logic “listen first, then speak, then support.”

An overview of the six steps

The six steps at a glance

SPIKES is made up of the first letters of the six steps — the whole ladder is in the diagram below, and after this each step gets a lesson of its own. The core logic: listen first, then speak, then support. Two of the six steps — P and I — are questions you ask BEFORE you say the news: you find out what the person already knows and how much they want to know. A common mistake is to jump straight to K, dumping the facts on someone who isn't prepared. SPIKES protects you from that.

The SPIKES ladder

1
S — Setting
Set the scene: privacy, time, sit down, put your phone away.
2
P — Perception
Ask first: what does the person already know, and how do they understand the situation?
3
I — Invitation
Find out how much detail they want to know. Details come when they're ready.
4
K — Knowledge
Deliver the news: a warning, plain words, small chunks.
5
E — Emotions
Respond to emotions with empathy — the most important and most often skipped step.
6
S — Strategy & Summary
Map out a plan and give a brief recap.

Lesson notes

The six steps at a glance

SPIKES is made up of the first letters of the six steps — the whole ladder is in the diagram below, and after this each step gets a lesson of its own. The core logic: listen first, then speak, then support. Two of the six steps — P and I — are questions you ask BEFORE you say the news: you find out what the person already knows and how much they want to know. A common mistake is to jump straight to K, dumping the facts on someone who isn't prepared. SPIKES protects you from that.