Summary

Key Terms

defamation crisis management plan

Bad news messages fall generally into three categories: negative responses to routine requests, negative organizational news, and negative employment messages. I. Sending Negative Messages on Routine Business Matters Professionals sometimes have to say no to specific requests, and doing so tactfully is a mark of a good communicator. Sometimes people request information which for various reasons cannot be supplied, for example, information about projected sales figures. Either the direct approach or the indirect approach can be used, depending on the audiences likely response. If the writer knows the reader and is certain that no offense will be taken, the direct approach will work. The indirect approach works best when the stakes are high for you or the recipient, when you and your company has an established relationship with the recipient, or when youre forced to decline a request to which you have said yes in the past. Delivering bad news about transactions is sometimes a writers task. These messages have three goals: to modify the customers expectations, to explain how you plan to resolve the situation, and to repair whatever damage might have been done. As usual, the situation determines whether to use the direct or the indirect approach. Refusing a customers claim or request for adjustment usually calls for the indirect approach. The writer must at once avoid accepting responsibility for the situation and avoid blaming or accusing the customer. The right tone is essential in this situation: the writer must indicate that he or she understands the problem and has considered it but that the decision is no. The explanation should be rational and clear. The writer should not apologize or hide behind company policy. Even if the claim is unreasonable, the writer should reply in a respectful and moderate tone.

Using a business message to vent anger is unwise; doing so will almost certainly result in ill will, and, indeed, can lead to a charge of defamation. Written defamation is called libel; spoken defamation is slander. The three legal elements of defamation are (1) that the statement

is false, (2) that it is injurious to ones reputation, and (3) that is has been published. II. Sending Negative Organizational News When in special cases a company must issue negative announcements, a key difference in the cases is whether the company has time to prepare the announcement or whether it is reacting to a crisis. When communicating under normal circumstances (for example, announcing a price increase, product cancellation, benefit reduction, or plant closing), a company may have to send different messages to different audiences. Follow these guidelines:

Match your approach to the situation Consider the unique needs of each group Give each audience time to react as needed Plan the sequence of multiple announcements Give yourself enough time to plan and manage a response Look for positive angles, but dont exude false optimism Minimize the element of surprise whenever possible Seek expert advice if youre not sure

When communicating in a crisis, your messages are crucial. It is important to have a crisis management plan in place before a crisis occurs. In addition to defining operational procedures for dealing with the crisis itself, the plan also outlines communication tasks and responsibilities. III. Sending Negative Employment Messages Negative messages about individual employees must occasionally be sent. The direct approach is best when writing to job applicants or when communicating with another company to send negative references about a job candidate. The indirect approach is best when giving negative performance reviews to employees because they will be emotionally involved. Many employers are reluctant to write references for fear of legal ramifications. The best approach when reluctant to provide recommendations is to state only that the candidate worked for the company for a certain period of time. It is a bit more difficult, though, to tell an employee that you are unwilling to write a recommendation; such a refusal might seem like a personal slight and a threat to the employees future. The way to deal with this situation is to make positive comments where possible, imply an unwillingness to write anything more direct, suggest alternatives, and wish the employee the best of luck. Anyone who has applied for a job and never heard back knows how annoying it is to be left hanging. Employers have an ethical obligation to respond to applications,

with a form letter or card if nothing else. When you write a rejection letter, follow these guidelines:

Choose your approach carefully Experts disagree on whether the direct or indirect approach is better. Clearly state why the applicant was not hired Close by suggesting alternatives

Few other communication tasks require such a broad range of skills and strategy as a performance review. These evaluations serve to emphasize and clarify job requirements, give employees feedback on their performance, and develop plans of action for future performance. Whether the performance review is positive or negative, the tone should be objective and unbiased, the language is nonjudgmental, and the focus is on problem resolution. Follow these guidelines:

Confront the problem immediately Plan your message carefully be clear and specific; avoid personal bias, get feedback from other sources; collect and verify information. Deliver the message in private dont send out performance reviews by email or fax. Focus on the problem compare the performance with the standard, not with the performance of other individuals; address the consequences of continued poor performance; be supportive. Ask for a commitment from the employee finalize decisions jointly; set up a schedule for improvement and evaluation.

Finally, perhaps the most difficult letter of all to write is the termination notice. Still, this sometimes has to be done; so the writer should focus on three goals: 1) state the specific reasons, 2) avoid litigious statements, and 3) leave the relationship as favorable as possible.