Chapter 10

Negative
Messages
Business
Communication:
Process and Product,
6e
Mary Ellen Guffey
Copyright 2008

Negative Messages
Communicating
Bad News: Goals

The Indirect
Pattern

The 3-x-3 Writing

Process

Avoiding Legal
Problems

Delivering Bad
News Sensitively

Damage Control
with Customers

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Goals in
Communicating Bad
Primary Goals
News Make the receiver
understand and
accept the bad news
Maintain a positive
image of you and
your organization

Tom Grill / Corbis

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Goals in
Communicating
Secondary GoalsBad
News Reduce bad feelings

Convey fairness
Eliminate future
correspondence
Avoid creating legal
liability or responsibility
for you or your
organization.

Tom Grill / Corbis

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

The Indirect Pattern

Buffer
Reasons
Bad News

Closing

A neutral or positive opening

that does not reveal the bad
news
An explanation of the causes
for the bad news
A clear but understated
announcement of the bad
news; may include
alternative or compromise

A neutral or positive
opening that does not
reveal the bad news

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Applying the
Writing Process

Analyze the bad news.

Anticipate the effect of
Prewritin
the bad news on the
g
receiver.
Analyze
If the bad news is
Anticipate
serious, use techniques
Adapt
to reduce the pain.
If the bad news is minor,
announce
Mary Ellen Guffey,
Business it directly.Ch. 10,

Applying the
Writing Process

Gather information and

brainstorm for ideas.
Jot down all reasons
Writing
you have to explain the
bad news.
Research
Organize List your strongest
reasons first.
Compose
Outline the indirect
pattern.
Mary Ellen Guffey,
Business
Ch. 10,

Applying the
Writing Process
Revising
Edit
Proofread
Evaluate

Put yourself in the

receivers shoes.
Is the message too
blunt? Too subtle? Is it
clear?
Proofread for format,
punctuation, and
correctness.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Avoiding Three
Causes of Legal
Problems
Abusive
language
Defamation
Libel
Slander

Language that
harms a persons
reputation
Written
defamation
Spoken
defamation

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Avoiding Three
Causes of Legal
Problems
Careless
language

Statements that are potentially

damaging or that could be
misinterpreted
Example: The factory is too
hazardous for tour groups.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Avoiding Three
Causes of Legal
Problems
The good-guy
syndrome
Dangerous statements that ease

your conscience or make you look

good (I thought you were an
excellent candidate, but we had to
hire).
As an agent of the organization,
express only views of the
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business
Ch. 10,
organization.

Avoiding Three
Causes of Legal
Problems
Use plain paper for your personal
views or business.
Avoid supplying information that
could be misused. Dont admit or
imply responsibility without
checking with legal counsel.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Four-Part Strategy for

Delivering Bad News
Buffer
Best news
Compliment
Appreciation
Agreement
Facts
Understanding
Apology

Reasons
Cautious explanation
Reader or other
benefits
Company policy
explanation
Positive words
Evidence that matter
was considered
fairly and seriously

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Four-Part Strategy for

Delivering Bad News
Bad News
Embedded
placement
Passive voice
Implied refusal
Compromise
Alternative

Closing
Forward look
Information about
alternative
Good wishes
Freebies
Resale
Sales Promotion

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Buffering the
Opening
Start with the part of the message
that represents the best news.
Pay a compliment, show
appreciation for a past action, or
refer to something mutually
understood.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively
Buffering the
Opening
Avoid raising false hopes or
thanking the receiver for
something you are about to
refuse.
Consider apologizing if you or
your company erred. If you
apologize, do so sincerely and
take responsibility.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Presenting the
Reasons
Explain clearly why the request
must be denied, without
revealing the refusal.
Show how your decision benefits
the receiver or others, if possible.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Presenting the
Reasons
Explain company policy without
using it as an excuse.
Choose positive words. Avoid
negative words such as cannot,
claim, denied, error, failure,
unwitting.
Show that the matter was
treated seriously and fairly.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Cushioning the Bad

News
Consider positioning the bad news
strategically by sandwiching it
between other sentences.
Consider subordinating the bad
news (although we cant loan our
equipment, we wish you well in)
Consider using the passive voice
(although our equipment cant be
loaned).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Cushioning the Bad

News

Accentuate the positive by

describing what you can do, not

what you cant do.
Consider implying the refusal, but be
sure it is clear.
Suggest a compromise or an
alternative, if available.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Techniques for Delivering

Bad News Sensitively

Closing Pleasantly
Look forward to future relations.
Supply more information about an
alternative, if you have presented
one.
Offer good wishes, compliments, or
freebies (coupons, samples, gifts).
Avoid referring to the refusal.
Use resale or sales promotion if
appropriate.
Mary
Ellen Guffey, Business
Ch. 10,

Damage Control: Dealing

With Disappointed
Customers
1. Call the individual involved.
2. Describe the problem and apologize.
3. Explain
a. Why the problem occurred
b. What you are doing to resolve it
c. How you will prevent it from happening
again.

4. Follow up with a letter that documents

the phone call and promotes goodwill.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Dear
Dear Ms.
Ms. Trumbo:
Trumbo:

BeforeIneffective
Customer Request
Refusal

We
We regret
regret to
to inform
inform you
you that
that we
we cannot
cannot allow
allow you
you to
to convert
convert the
the
lease
lease payments
payments you
you have
have been
been making
making on
on your
your Canon
Canon X1000
X1000 color
color
copier
copier toward
toward its
its purchase,
purchase, much
much as
as we
we would
would love
love to.
to. We
We
understand
understand that
that you
you have
have been
been making
making regular
regular payments
payments for
for the
the
past
past 16
16 months.
months.
Our
Our established
established company
company policy
policy prohibits
prohibits such
such conversion
conversion of
of
leasing
leasing monies.
monies. Perhaps
Perhaps you
you have
have noticed
noticed that
that we
we offer
offer extremely
extremely
low
low leasing
leasing and
and purchase
purchase prices.
prices. Obviously,
Obviously, these
these low
low prices
prices would
would
never
never be
be possible
possible ifif we
we agreed
agreed to
to many
many proposals
proposals such
such as
as yours.
yours.
Because
Because we
we are
are striving
striving to
to stay
stay in
in business,
business, we
we cannot
cannot agree
agree to
to
your
your request
request asking
asking us
us to
to apply
apply all
all 16
16 months
months of
of rental
rental payments
payments
toward
toward the
the purchase
purchase of
of our
our popular
popular new
new equipment.
equipment.
It
It is
is our
our understanding,
understanding, Ms.
Ms. Trumbo,
Trumbo, that
that you
you have
have had
had the
the Canon
Canon
X1000
X1000 color
color copier
copier for
for 16
16 months,
months, and
and you
you claim
claim that
that it
it has
has been
been
reliable
reliable and
and versatile.
versatile. We
We would
would like
like to
to tell
tell you
you about
about another
another
Canon
Canon modelone
modelone that
that is
is perhaps
perhaps closer
closer to
to your
your limited
limited budget.
budget.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Critical Thinking Questions

1.What is the purpose of the
letter? What goals should
the sender have?
2.What prevents this letter
from achieving those goals?
3.What pattern of
development would work
best for this letter? Has it
been followed?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Critical Thinking Questions

4.What idea could be used as
a buffer to open an
improved version of this
letter? Write a buffer.
5.How could the bad news be
subordinated? Write a
statement that
subordinates the bad news.
6.What friendly news could
be used in the closing?
Write
a closing
statement.
Mary
Ellen
Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Dear
Dear Ms.
Ms. Trumbo:
Trumbo:
Were
Were happy
happy to
to learn
learn that
that you
you are
are enjoying
enjoying the
the use
use of
of the
the Canon
Canon
X1000
X1000 color
color copier
copier youve
youve been
been leasing
leasing for
for the
the past
past 16
16 months.
months.

AfterImproved
Refusal of Request

Like
Like our
our many
many other
other customers,
customers, Ms.
Ms. Trumbo,
Trumbo, you
you have
have discovered
discovered
that
that Canon
Canon copiers
copiers supply
supply remarkable
remarkable versatility
versatility and
and reliability.
reliability.
One
One of
of the
the reasons
reasons were
were able
able to
to offer
offer these
these outstanding
outstanding copiers
copiers
at
at such
such low
low leasing
leasing rates
rates and
and equally
equally low
low purchase
purchase prices
prices is
is that
that
we
we maintain
maintain aa slim
slim profit
profit margin.
margin. IfIf our
our program
program included
included aa
provision
provision for
for applying
applying lease
lease payments
payments toward
toward purchase
purchase prices,
prices,
our
our overall
overall prices
prices would
would have
have to
to be
be higher.
higher. Although
Although lease
lease
payments
payments cannot
cannot be
be credited
credited toward
toward purchase
purchase price,
price, we
we can
can offer
offer
you
you other
other Canon
Canon models
models that
that are
are within
within your
your price
price range.
range. The
The
Canon
Canon 600
600 delivers
delivers the
the same
same reliability
reliability with
with nearly
nearly as
as many
many
features
features as
as the
the top-of-the-line
top-of-the-line Canon
Canon X1000.
X1000.
Please
Please let
let us
us demonstrate
demonstrate the
the Canon
Canon 600
600 to
to your
your staff
staff in
in your
your
office,
office, Ms.
Ms. Trumbo.
Trumbo. Our
Our representative,
representative, Seth
Seth Simmons,
Simmons, will
will call
call
you
you during
during the
the week
week of
of May
May 55 to
to arrange
arrange an
an appointment.
appointment.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Managing Negative
Organization
News
Buffer
Provide

some good news (if

possible), praise, appreciation,
agreement, or understanding.

Discuss

facts leading to the

reasons section.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Managing Negative
Organization
News
Reasons
Explain

what caused the decision

necessitating the bad news.

Use

objective, nonjudgmental,
and nondiscriminatory language.

Show

empathy and fairness.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Managing Negative
Organization
News
Bad News
Explain

the bad news clearly, but

dont accentuate it.

Avoid

negative language.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

Managing Negative
Organization
News
Closing

End on a positive, friendly note.

For job refusals, extend good wishes.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business

Ch. 10,

End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 10, Slide

31