Delivering bad news is never easy, but
professionals need to deliver bad news in many different situations, both internal and external to the organization: Show
Goals for Bad News CommunicationsThere are seven goals to keep in mind when delivering negative news, in person or in written form:
Approaches to Offering Bad NewsThere are two ways to approach communicating bad news, depending on the situation, audience, your role, and all of the other communication variables: a direct approach and an indirect approach. Direct ApproachA direct approach offers the bad news immediately in the communication. You may want to use a direct approach if you feel it is the clearest way to communicate bad news to a large audience, to cut down on possible misinterpretations. You may want to use a direct approach if, as a supervisor, you need to correct an employee’s behavior. You may want to use a direct approach if you know that your audience is prepared for it and expecting the communication. You may want to use a direct approach if you need to curtail communications with a particular audience. For example:
Choosing a direct approach does not mean that you can simply say what you need to say without considering your language, tone, and overall effect on your audience. When you use a direct approach to giving bad news, you need to pay special attention to your language so as to get your audience to accept and understand the bad news without offending them. Can you imagine Darren’s difference in reaction if he received a communication that said, “Darren, stop harassing me with that same old suggestion, which I told you is not going to achieve results.” Indirect ApproachAn indirect approach to communicating bad news houses the bad news later in the communication, usually as the third item in a list of four:
You may want to use an indirect approach if you know a large portion of your audience will react strongly to the bad news. You may want to use an indirect approach if you want to retain a customer’s business in the future, retain recommendations from a client, etc. You may want to use an indirect approach if you think that the bad news is something that your audience has not been expecting, and will therefore be a shock. You may want to use an indirect approach if you want to maintain good working relationships with your coworkers and employees, who gauge and respond to your overall communication style. For example:
In this example, the buffer is in the first two sentences, which offer neutral and then positive information. The reasons occur in the third sentence, which puts the job applicant’s experience into the broader context of how many people applied and were interviewed for the same job. Offering details about just how far this applicant proceeded in the search helps the applicant prepare for the bad news coming in the fourth sentence, since it lets the applicant know that she progressed relatively far in the process. This particular communication ends on a positive note. The communicator in this case is genuinely encouraging the applicant. It’s important to know, though, that you should not be inaccurate and provide positive information falsely, if it’s not really the case, as that is a breach of ethics. An appropriate alternative ending if there is no genuine interest in the applicant would be to replace the last two sentences with a polite “Thank you for considering XYZ company. We wish you well in your future endeavors.” Choosing Media for Bad News CommunicationsThe examples above all used the written medium to illustrate different approaches to communicating bad news. However, there are often situations that call for real-time conversation or a combination of media. You should always do a situational analysis to identify the probable effects of using different media. A face-to-face, telephone, or Skype conversation has the advantage of being personal and private, as well as allowing you to gauge reactions through tone. A face-to-face meeting adds non-verbal body language into the situation, which provides even more cues to help tailor the communication as you can visually judge your audience’s reaction to the news. Face-to-face, telephone, and Skype have a disadvantage, though, of potential misinterpretation, because sometimes the response you get in terms of body language and tone masks the recipient’s focus, which might be a much more emotional response to the bad news. You may need to follow up a conversation with email or a written document of some sort in order to reinforce your message. On the other hand, written communication has the advantage of creating a permanent record and a document to which communicator and recipient can both refer. However, giving bad news in writing may not be appropriate in situations which call for a more personal approach. Written bad news does not allow the recipient to ask questions to further her understanding. And written bad news does not give you the immediate feedback you get from real-time spoken communication. You may need to follow up a written communication with a personal meeting or phone call to further explain your message. SummaryRemember that even though you may need to provide bad news, whether you use a direct or indirect approach, you need to provide that bad news using appropriate language and tone. Consult the pages in this text on “You” Approach & Constructive Language and Style: Formality, Tone & Voice, Word Choice for fuller insight into providing bad news without using negative language or tone. The following video offers a recap of major concepts related to communicating bad news. When planning bad news messages you should consider the following questions except?When planning bad-news messages, you should consider the following questions except. Do your readers prefer to receive the negative news up front, without delay? Should it be sent in writing? Would they accept the news more readily if you explained your reasons first?
Which of the following is an advantage to using email to convey bad news?Which of the following is an advantage to using email to convey bad news? Email is more likely to be accurate and complete.
Which of the following are recommendations for good business practice when writing a bad news message to a customer?How to give the bad news to a customer. Be proactive. ... . Be clear with bad news. ... . Provide a solution. ... . Think of additional answers. ... . Take responsibility. ... . Follow up on the progress. ... . Address the issue at hand directly and personally. ... . Offer a solution or promise.. Which is the most important part of a bad news message?Middle: Explain the Bad News. An explanation of the bad news is the most important part of a negative message because it prepares the reader for the refusal or denial – but it does NOT explicitly state the bad news yet.
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