1. Writing Bad-News Messages
Chapter 8
Writing Bad-News Messages

2. Chapter 8 Objectives
Apply the three-step writing process to bad-news messages.
Show how to achieve an acceptable audience-centered tone.
Differentiate between the direct and indirect approaches, and discuss when it’s appropriate to use each one.

3. Chapter 8 Objectives List three techniques for saying “no.”
continued
List three techniques for saying “no.”
Define defamation.
Discuss guidelines for delivering bad news to job applicants.
Discuss performance reviews.

4. “I just wanted to get your reaction to that memo.”

5. Step 1: Planning Your Bad-News Message
When your message is negative, analysis is extremely important:
You want to be sure that your purpose is specific so that you can word it in the best way.
You want to be sure that your bad news should be sent at all and that it should be in writing.
You want to know more than ever how your audience will receive your negative message.

6. Step 2: Writing Your Bad-News Message
When sending a bad-news message, you want to be careful about
Defining your main idea
Covering relevant points thoroughly and logically
Choosing between the direct and indirect approaches
Choosing your words, creating your sentences, and constructing your paragraphs carefully

7. Step 3: Completing Your Bad-News Message
Since bad-news messages require such care, this last step is just as important as the first two.
Revision helps you make sure that
Your messages are well organized
You’ve said what you intended to say
You’ve communicated your message concisely and clearly

8. Step 3: Completing Your Bad-News Message
Good design helps you ensure that nothing detracts your readers from
Your message
Your efforts to be sensitive
Proofreading guarantees that your reader will not misunderstand because of mistakes such as
Typos
Spelling errors
Misalignment

9. Strategies for Bad-News Messages
When delivering bad news, you have five main goals:
Convey the bad news
Gain acceptance for it
Maintain as much goodwill as possible
Maintain a good image for the organization
Reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter

10. Audience Centered Tone
An audience-centered tone helps readers
Accept your bad news as a firm decision
Understand that your decision is fair and reasonable
Remain well disposed toward your business
Preserve their pride

11. Using the Direct Approach
The key is to analyze your reader first.
Decide if the reader would like the bad news right away or needs to be eased into it.
If you know your audience can handle bad news first, use the direct approach.
The direct approach starts with a clear statement of bad news then proceeds to reasons.

12. Using the Direct Approach
You may use the direct approach for a negative message in a variety of circumstances:
When writing a routine memo that has little or no personal impact
When your manager expects all internal correspondence to be brief and direct
When routine negative messages to other companies have little or no personal impact
When the indirect approach would cause ill will
When your audience prefers reading the bad news first
When you want to present an image of firmness and strength

13. Using the Indirect Approach
The indirect approach eases your audience into your message by explaining your reasons before delivering the bad news.
When using the indirect approach, bad-news messages
Open with a buffer
Continue with a logical and neutral explanation of the reasons for the bad news
Follow with a clear but diplomatic statement of the bad news
Close with a positive forward-looking statement that is helpful and friendly

14. Buffers
A buffer is a neutral, noncontroversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message.
A good buffer
Expresses your appreciation for being thought of
Assures the reader of your attention to the request
Compliments the reader
Indicates your understanding of the reader’s needs

15. How to Write a Buffer Avoid saying no Avoid using an arrogant tone
Avoid wordy and irrelevant language
Avoid apologizing
Avoid writing a long buffer

16. Characteristics of Good Refusal Messages
Provide sufficient detail to make reader accept the message
Imply the reader is better off
Explain company policy as being logical
Offer no apology
Avoid personal assaults

17. Bad-News Messages Do not include reasons in your bad-news message when
They involve confidential information
They involve excessively complicated information
They involve purely negative information
They benefit only you or your firm

18. Ending Bad-News Message
To keep your close upbeat, you might
Propose an attainable solution to your audience’s problem
Include off-subject resale material or sales promotion in letters to current or potential customers
Make sure your readers know what to do next, when to do it, and how to do it with ease

19. Types of Routine Bad-News Messages
Refusing information
Refusing invitations and other requests
Giving bad news about orders
Refusing claims and requests for adjustments
Claims

20. Refusals
When refusing requests for information, you can choose either the direct or the indirect approach, depending on how emotionally involved your audience is.
When refusing invitations and requests for favors, you can choose the direct or the indirect approach, depending on your relationship with the reader.

21. Bad News About Orders
For bad news about orders, help readers feel good about continuing to do business with you by
Working toward an eventual sale along the lines of the original order
Keeping instructions or additional information as clear as possible
Maintaining an optimistic, confident tone so that your reader won’t lose interest

22. Backorders
When backordering, you have one of two types of bad news to convey:
You’re able to send only part of the order.
You’re able to send none of the order.
When sending part of an order, you can
Use the good news (that part of the shipment is coming) as a buffer for the bad news (that part of the shipment is on back order)
Give the reasons for the delay of the remainder of the shipment
Encourage a favorable attitude toward the transaction with a strong close

23. Refusing Claims and Requests for Adjustments
Avoid language that would have a negative impact on the reader.
Don’t be guilty of defamation.
Avoid abusive language.
Express your personal opinions in a letter using your own stationery.
Provide accurate information; stick to facts.
Don’t send messages out of anger or malice.
Consult your company’s legal department
Communicate honestly.

24. Defamation
Defamation is a false statement that tends to damage someone’s character or reputation:
Written defamation is called libel.
Spoken defamation is called slander.
Someone suing for defamation must prove that
The statement is false
The language is injurious to the person’s reputation
The statement has been published

25. Bad News About Products and Operations
When providing bad news about products, be careful to determine your readers’ emotional reaction to your message.
Bad news about company operations may be required in at least three situations:
A change in company policy that will have a negative effect on the reader
Problems with company performance
Controversial or unpopular company operations

26. Negative Employment Messages
When refusing requests for recommendation letters,
Your message may be brief and direct when communicating with prospective employers
Your message must be diplomatic and tactful when communicating with a job applicant
When delivering bad news to job applicants,
Open with the direct approach
Clearly state why the applicant was not selected
Close by suggesting alternatives

27. Performance Reviews The main goals of a performance review are to
Set organizational standards
Communicate organizational values
Improve employee performance by
Emphasizing and clarifying job requirements
Giving employees feedback on their efforts toward fulfilling those requirements
Developing a plan of action for continued efforts (including rewards and opportunities)

28. Guidelines: Negative Performance Reviews
Confront the problem right away.
Plan your message.
Deliver the message in private.
Focus on the problem.
Ask for a commitment from the employee.

29. Termination Letters
When writing a termination letter, you have three goals:
To present the reasons for this difficult action
To avoid statements that might involve the company in legal action
To leave the relationship between the employee and the firm as favorable as possible

30. Test Your Knowledge Let’s Discuss
Why is it particularly important to adapt your medium and tone to your audience’s needs and preferences when writing a bad news message?
What are the five main goals in delivering bad news?
What are the advantages of using the direct approach to deliver bad news at the beginning of a message?

31. Test Your Knowledge Let’s Discuss
continued
What is the sequence of elements in a bad-news message using the indirect approach?
What is a buffer, and why do some critics consider it unethical?
When using an indirect approach to announce a negative decision, what is the purpose of presenting your reasons before explaining the decision itself?

32. Test Your Knowledge Let’s Discuss
continued
What are three techniques for de-emphasizing bad news?
What is defamation, and how does libel differ from slander?
What are three guidelines for writing rejection letters to job applicants?
When giving a negative review to an employee, what five steps should you follow?