Business Communications

Lesson Six
FJU/AIEDL
Dr. M. Connor
Based on Excellence in Business Communication,5/e
Thill and Bove

No body likes bad news

People

dont like to give it and people

dont like to get it.
The giving part is especially true from
someone from an Asian culture, but in a
work situation, there are times when bad
news just has to be given.
Westerners will appreciate it if you give
them the bad news straight out, but
there are ways to cushion the blow

NO!
The

word no is short and abrupt, so

negative that a lot of people have trouble
saying it.
And for most people, its the hardest
word to hear or understand
The delivery can be far more damaging
than the word itself.

The most dangerous no

The

most dangerous no is usually the

one you dont explain.
Thats why you must be careful when
you deliver bad news.
The three-step process can help you
write bad-news messages that are more
effective and less dangerous.

Step 1: Planning your bad-news

message
When

your message is a negative one,

analysis becomes extremely important.
If your purpose is specific, you are able
to word it in the best possible way.
You want to be sure that a bad-news
message should indeed be sent and
should definitely be sent in writing.

Know your audience

And

you really need to know how your

audience will receive your message.
Do readers prefer to receive negative
news up front without delay?
Or would they accept it better if you
explained your reasons first?

Get the facts

Any

investigation or research must yield

reliable, unmistakable facts that will
support your negative decision.
Youll want to be sure you have all the
facts your audience will need.
After sending your bad news, you dont
want to face a barrage of questions from
confused readers

Keeping a good relationship

Finally, youll

want to pay particular

attention to maintaining a good
relationship with your audience.
Be sure to adapt your medium and tone
to your audience.
Careful attention to adaptation can help
you avoid alienating your readers.

Step 2: Writing your bad-news

messages
In

a bad-news message, your main idea

is a refusal, a rejection or a negative
announcement, so you want to be
careful about defining that main idea and
about covering relevant points
thoroughly and logically.

Which approach?
Choosing

between the direct and indirect

approaches takes an added importance
in bad-news messages.
You need to know whether it will be
better to open with the bad news or
prepare your readers with an
explanation before you give them the
negative bits.

Word choice
You

also need to pay special attention to

word choice so that you can create your
sentences and paragraphs carefully.

Step 3: Completing your bad-news

messages
Revision

is as important as the other

steps in the writing process.
It helps you make sure that your badnews messages are organized properly,
that they say what you want them to say,
and that they do so concisely and
clearly.

Strategies for bad-news messages

There

are five goals for bad-news

messages:
Give

the bad news

Ensure its acceptance
Maintain the readers goodwill
Maintain your organizations good image
Reduce further correspondence on the
matter.

Not an easy task!

But

there are some steps you can take

that will make your bad-news messages
more effective.
Adopt

an audience-centered tone
Organize your message to meet your
audiences needs and expectations by using
either the direct or the indirect approach.

Adopting an audience-centered tone

Your

tone contributes to your messages

effectiveness by helping your readers
Accept

that your bad-news represents a firm

decision
Understand that, under the circumstances,
your decision was fair and reasonable
Remain well disposed towards your
business
Preserve their pride

Tone
When

establishing tone, strive for

Firmness
Fairness
Goodwill
Respect

Use the you attitude

Try

to point out how your decision might

actually further your audiences goals.
Assume that your audience is interested
in being fair, even when they are at fault

Choose positive words

Just

make sure that your positive tone

doesnt hide the bad news behind
difficult language.
Remember, you want to convey the bad
news, not cover it up.

Polite words chart

INSTEAD OF THIS...

SAY THIS...

I cannot understand what you mean.

Please clarify your request.

The damage wont be fixed for a week.

The item will be repaired....

There will be a delay in your order.

We will ship your order as

soon as possible.

You are clearly dissatisfied.

We are doing what we can to make things right.

Your account is in error.

Corrections have been made to your account.

The breakage was not our fault.

The merchandise was broken during shipping.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

The enclosed coupon will save you 45 next time.

We regret the misunderstanding.

Ill try my best to be more clear from now on.

I was shocked to learn that youre unhappy.

Your letter reached me yesterday.

Unfortunately, we havent received it.

It hasnt arrived yet.

The enclosed statement is wrong.

Please recheck the enclosed statement.

Use respectful language

This

way you convey respect and avoid an

accusing tone and thus save your audiences
pride.
For instance, you might have to use the third
person, impersonal and passive language.

Say something like The appliance wont work after

being submersed in water instead of You
shouldnt have immersed the appliance in water.

The you attitude

When

your audience is at fault, the you

attitude is better observed by avoiding
the word you.

Using the direct approach

As

with most business messages, the key to

choosing the best approach for bad-news
messages is to analyze audience members
first.
How well do you know them?

Some people would prefer to hear the bad news

right away.

Similarly,

some situations are more

appropriate for directness than others.
If you know your audience would prefer the
bad news first, or if the situation is minor and
the news will cause your audience little pain or
disappointment, then use the direct approach.

Using the indirect approach

Beginning

a bad news message with a

blunt no could prevent your audience
from reading or listening to your reasons.
Some prefer some preparation or
explanation first.
So the indirect approach eases your
audience into your bad news by explaining
your reasons before giving the bad news.

Gaining acceptance
Presenting

the reasons first increases

your chances of gaining audience
acceptance by gradually preparing
readers for the negative news to come.

Four-part sequence
The

indirect approach follows a four-part

sequence
Open with a buffer
Continue with a logical, neutral explanation of
the reasons for the bad news
Follow with a clear but diplomatic statement of
the bad news, emphasizing any good news and
de-emphasizing the bad
Close with a positive forward-looking statement
that is helpful and friendly.

Open with a buffer

A neutral,

noncontroversial statement that

is closely related to the point of the
message is called a buffer.
Breaking bad news with kindness and
courtesy is the humane way to do things.
Consideration for the feelings of others is
never dishonest, and consideration helps
others accept your message.

Buffers
Use

a buffer that is

Neutral
Relevant
Not

misleading
Assertive
Succinct
To write

an effective buffer, avoid giving

the impression that good news will
follow.

Examples
One:

Your resume indicates that you

would be well-suited for a management
trainee position with our company.

Two:

Your resume shows very clearly

why you would be interested in
becoming a management trainee with
our company.

Analysis
The

second one emphasizes the

applicants interpretations of her
qualifications rather than the companys
evaluation of her qualifications.
The first could be misleading, the
second, less so.

Things to avoid in writing a buffer

Other

things you need to avoid when

writing a buffer:
Avoid

saying no.
Avoid using a know-it-all tone.
Avoid wordy and irrelevant phrases and
sentences.
Avoid apologizing.
Avoid writing a buffer that is too long.

Avoid saying no
No

matter how good the rest of the

message is, youve already lost your
audience.

Avoid using a know-it-all tone

When

you use phrases like you should

be aware that, readers expect your
lecture to lead to a negative response,
so they resist the rest of your message.

Avoid wordy and irrelevant phrases

and sentences
Sentences

such as We have received

your letter, This letter is in reply to
request, We are writing in response to
your request are irrelevant.
Make better use of the space by
referring directly to the letter.

Avoid apologizing
Unless

warranted by extreme
circumstances, an apology only
weakens the following explanation of
your unfavorable news.

Avoid writing a buffer that is too long

Be

brief.
Identify something that both you and
your audience are interested in and
agree on before proceeding in a
business like way.

Follow your buffer with reasons

Present

the reasons that show that your

decision is fair and reasonable.
One way to be tactful is to emphasize how
your decision benefits your readers rather than
focusing on how the decision is good for your
company.

For example, when denying a credit request, you

can show how your decision will prevent the person
from becoming overextended financially.

Facts

and figures are often helpful in

convincing members of your audience that
youre acting in their best interest.

Reasons
Well-written

reasons are

Detailed
Tactful
Individualized
Unapologetic
Positive

Good example paragraph

Because

these management trainee

positions are quite challenging, our
human relations department has
researched the qualifications needed to
succeed in them. The findings show that
the two most important qualifications are
a bachelors degree in business
administration and two years
supervisory experience.

Analysis
This

paragraph does a good job of stating the

reasons for the refusal because:
It provides enough detail to make the reason for the
refusal logically acceptable
It implies that the applicant is better off avoiding a
program in which he or she would probably fail,
given the background of potential co-workers
It explains the companys policy as logical rather
than rigid
It offers no apology for the decision
It avoids negative personal expressions (You do
not meet our requirements.)

Then state the bad news

To handle

bad news carefully

De-emphasize

the bad news visually and

grammatically
Use a conditional statement
Tell what you did do, not what you didnt do
for the audience

Examples
The

five positions currently open have

been staffed with people whose
qualifications match those uncovered by
our research.
There, you dont even say it outright that
they are rejected. You may also add a
line like When you have more
managerial experience, you are
welcome to reapply.

Finally, end with a positive close

Keep

it positive.
Dont refer to, repeat, or apologize for
the bad news, and avoid expressing any
doubt that your reasons will be
accepted.
Avoid statements like I trust our
decision is satisfactory. Of course, its
not going to be satisfactory!

Limit future correspondence

Encourage

future communication only if

youre willing to discuss the decision
further.

Be optimistic about the future

Dont

anticipate problems.

Be sincere
Steer

clear of clichs that are insincere

in view of the bad news.
Avoid saying something like If we can
be of any help, please contact us.
If you were helping them, you wouldnt
be writing a bad news letter!

Be confident
Dont

show any doubt about keeping a

person as a customer.
Avoid phrases like We hope you will
continue to do business with us.

Example
Many

companies seek other

qualifications in management trainees,
so I urge you to continue your job
search. Youll certainly find an opening
in which your skills and aspirations will
match the job requirements exactly.

Refusing claims
.When

refusing a claim, avoid language

that might have a negative impact on the
reader. Instead:
Demonstrate

that you understand and have

considered the complaint.
Explain your refusal
Suggest alternative action.

Defamation
You

may be tempted to respond to

something particularly outrageous by
calling the person responsible a crook, a
swindler or an incompetent.
KEEP IT IN YOUR HEAD!
If you dont, you could be sued for
defamation, a false statement that
tends to damage someones character.

Technical difference
When

defamation is spoken, the charge

is slander.
Remember

this because they both start with

s.
When

defamation is written, the charge

is libel.

Suing for defamation

By

definition, someone suing for

defamation would have to prove
1)

that the statements is false

2) that the language is injurious to the
persons reputation
3) that the statement has been published.

Be aware!
If

you can prove that your accusations

are true, you havent defamed the
person.
The courts are likely to give you the
benefit of the doubt, but you still need to
be careful.

Guidelines

Avoid using any kind of abusive language or terms that

could be considered defamatory.
If you wish to express your own personal opinions
about a sensitive matter, use your personal stationery
and dont include your job title or position. Take
responsibility for your actions without involving your
company.
Provide accurate information and stick to the facts.
Never let anger or malice motivate your messages.
Consult your companys legal department or an
attorney whenever you think a message might have
legal consequences.
Communicate honestly and make sure that you are
saying what you believe to be true.

Rejecting job applicants

Many

of you will have to reject job

applications in the future, and this is
never easy.
But you must send the message.
Not sending a rejection to an applicant,
especially one who has interviewed, is
unacceptable.

Three guidelines
Open

with the direct approach.

Clearly state why the applicant was not
selected.
Close by suggesting alternatives.

Open with the direct approach

Job applicants know that good news will

most likely come by phone and that bad
news will most likely come by letter.
If you try to buffer the bad news your
reader is expecting, you will seem
manipulative and insincere.

Clearly state why the applicant was

not selected

Make your rejection less personal by

stating that you hired someone with
more experience or whose qualifications
match the position requirements more
closely.

Close by suggesting alternatives

If you believe the applicant is qualified,

mention other openings within your company.

You might suggest professional organizations that

could help the applicant find employment.
Or you might simply mention that the applicants
resume will be considered for future openings.

Any of these positive suggestions may help

the applicant be less disappointed and view
your company more positively.

Not long
A rejection

letter need not be long.

Sending a well-written form letter
following these guidelines is better than
sending no letter at all.
The applicant only wants to know one
thing: did I get the job?

Negative performance reviews.

A performance

review is a managers formal or

informal evaluation of an employee.
The main purpose of these reviews is to
improve employee performance by
Emphasizing and clarifying job requirements
Giving employees feedback on their efforts towards
fulfilling those requirements, and
Guiding continued efforts by developing a plan of
action, along with rewards and opportunities

Guidelines
When

you need to give a negative

review, remember these guidelines:
Confront the problem right away.
Plan your message.
Deliver messages in private.
Ask for a commitment from the
employee.

Confront the problem right away

Avoiding

performance problems only

makes them worse.

Plan your message

I

say this all the time, but its a must. Be

clear about your concerns, and include
examples of specific actions.
Think about any possible biases you
may have, and get feedback from
others.

Deliver messages in private

Whether

in writing or in person, be sure

to address performance problems
privately.
Dont send performance reviews by email or fax.
If youre reviewing an employees
performance face-to-face, conduct the
review in a meeting specifically for that
purpose

Focus on the problem

Discuss

the problems caused by the

employees behavior without attacking the
employee.
Compare the employees performance with
whats expected, with company goals, or with
job requirements.
Identify the consequences of continuing poor
performance, and show that youre committed
to helping to solve the problem.

Ask for a commitment from the

employee
Help

the employee understand that

planning for and making improvements
are the employees responsibility.
However, finalize decisions jointly so that
you can be sure any action to be taken
is achievable.
Set a schedule for improvement and for
following up with evaluations of that
improvement.