Writing

Negative Messages

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 1

 The Three-Step Process

• Planning
• Writing
• Completing

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 2

 Negative Messages
• Negative messages can have as
many as five goals:
 Give the bad news
 Ensure acceptance of the bad news
 Maintain the reader’s goodwill
 Maintain the organization’s good image
 Minimize or eliminate future correspondence
on the matter, as appropriate
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 3
 Planning the Message

• Analyze the situation

• Determine your purpose
• Profile the audience
• Gather information
• Choose a medium

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 4

 Writing the Message

• Maintain a “you” attitude

• Build credibility
• Protect company image
• Avoid accusations
• Write clearly
• Be sensitive

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 5

 Completing the Message

• Revise the content

• Produce a professional message
• Proofread the message
• Deliver the message

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 6

Developing Negative Messages

• Choose the best approach

– Low emotional involvement-Direct Approach
– High emotional involvement-Indirect Approach
• Adapt to the audience
• Maintain high standards of ethics
and etiquette

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 7

Choosing the Best Approach
• Will the bad news come as a shock?
• Does the reader prefer short messages that
get right to the point?
• How important is this news to the reader?
• Do you need to maintain a close working
relationship with the audience?
• Do you need to get the reader's attention?
• What is your organization's preferred style?
• How much follow-up communication do you
want?
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 8
 The Direct Approach
(For Negative Messages)
• State the bad news
• Give reasons
– The amount of detail you should provide depends on your
relationship with the audience
– Apologies can have legal ramifications, but refusing to
apologize out of fear of admitting guilt can damage a
company’s relationships with its stakeholders
• End with a positive close
– Consider offering your readers an alternative solution
– Avoid creating false hopes

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 9

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 10
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 11
 THE INDIRECT APPROACH

• Begin with a buffer

• Follow with reasons
• State the bad news
• End with a positive close

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 12

 Begin With a Buffer

• Things to do • Things to avoid

– Show appreciation – Saying “no”
– Pay attention – A know-it-all tone
– Compliment reader – Wordy phrases
– Be understanding – Apologies
– Show sincerity – Lengthy buffers

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 13

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 14
 Provide Reasons
and Information
• Phrase your reasons to signal the negative
news ahead
• Don’t hide behind “company policy” when
you deliver bad news; present logical
answers instead
Well-written reasons are
-Guide your readers
• Detailed • Tactful •
-Provide support
Individualized • Unapologetic
-Suggest benefits
if no one is at fault • Positive
-Minimize policy
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 15
 State the Bad News
• De-emphasize the bad news
– Minimize the space or time devoted to the bad news
– Write in a complex or compound sentence
– Place in the middle of a paragraph
– Use parenthetical expressions
• Use a conditional statement
– Use if or when to motivate reader in future
– Don’t create false hopes
• Focus on the positive
– Emphasize what you can do or have done rather than
what you cannot do
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 16
 Close on a Positive Note
• A positive close Avoid negativity or uncertainty
– • Builds goodwill
– • Offers a suggestion for action
– • Provides a look toward the future
– Hence for a positive close
– Limit future correspondence
– Be optimistic about the future
– Be sincere
– Remain confident
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 17
 Cultural Differences

• Proper tone
• Message organization
• Cultural conventions

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 18

 The Type of Audience

• Internal
– Timeliness
– Completeness
• External
– Diversity
– Confidentiality

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 19

 Maintain High Standards of
Ethics and Etiquette
• Laws and regulations
– Content
– Delivery
• Human impact
– Legality and conscientiousness
– Care and sensitivity
• Emotions
– Senders
– Receivers

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 20

 TYPES OF NEGATIVE
MESSAGES
a) Sending Negative Messages or
Routine matters
b) Organizational news
c) Employment information

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 21

 a) Sending Negative Messages or
Routine matters
Refusing Routine Requests
•Select the approach
•Manage your time
•If the matter is closed, don’t imply that
it’s still open
•Offer alternatives if you can
•Don’t imply that other assistance or
information may be available if it isn’t
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 22
a) Sending Negative Messages or
Routine matters

Handling Bad News About Transactions

•Customer expectations
– Modify expectations
– Solve the problem
– Repair the relationship

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 23

a) Sending Negative Messages or
Routine matters
Refusing Claims and Requests for
Adjustment
• Things to employ • Things to avoid
– Courtesy and tact – Accepting blame
– Indirect approach – Accusations
– Positive attitude – Defamation
– Understanding and – Negative language
respect

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 24

 b) Negative Organizational
News
• Match the approach to the situation
• Consider unique needs of groups
• Give each group time to respond
• Plan a sequence of announcements

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 25

C) Negative Organizational News

• Plan for and manage a response

• Stay positive, but be realistic
• Minimize the element of surprise
• Seek expert advice if you’re not sure

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 26

 Crisis Communication

• Crisis communication plan

– Define operational procedures
– Outline tasks and responsibilities
• Speaking for the company
• Contacting key executives
• Identifying media outlets

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 27

 Recommendation Letters

• Requested by businesses
– Be direct
– State facts
• Requested by individuals
– Practice diplomacy
– Recognize feelings

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 28

 Employment Applications

• Choose the approach carefully

• Clearly state why applicant was not
selected
• Close by suggesting alternatives

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 29

 Performance Reviews

• Emphasize and clarify job

requirements
• Give employees feedback
• Develop action plans

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 30

 Negative
Performance Reviews
• Confront the problem
• Plan the message
• Deliver message in private
• Focus on the problem
• Ask for employee commitment

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 31

 Termination Letters

• Present reasons for this action

• Avoid statements that could lead to a
wrongful termination lawsuit
• Leave situation between terminated
employee and firm as favorable as
possible
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 9 - 32