Chapter 8. Bad-news messages. Planning the Bad-news. Bad-News Messages

Transcription

1 Chapter 8 Bad-News Messages Bad-news messages Plan the bad-news message. Compose a message that rejects an idea. Compose a message that refuses a favor. Compose a message that refuses a claim. Compose a bad-news announcement. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 2 Planning the Bad-news The worse the news, the more effort that should go into communicating it. Andrew Grove Your purpose is two-fold: Say No Retain the reader s goodwill Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 3

2 Prefer the direct plan when Writing to superiors The bad news involves an insignificant matter The reader prefers directness The reader expects a no response The writer wants to emphasize the bad news Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 4 Presenting bad news directly Present a brief rationale along with the bad news. Follow with needed explanation. End with a friendly, off-the-topic closing. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 5 Prefer the indirect plan when Writing to colleagues and subordinates Writing to someone outside the organization The reader prefers the indirect approach You don t know the reader Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 6

3 Presenting bad news indirectly Begin with a buffer. Justify your decision. Present the bad news. Close on a positive note. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 7 Characteristics of Buffers Lessens the impact of the bad news. Neutral and relevant statements Helps establish or strengthen the reader-writer relationship Provides a transition to the bad news Sincere effort to help the reader accept the bad news. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 8 Types of buffers Agreement I agree with you that full-color visual aids are more effective and attractive than black-andwhite ones. Appreciation Thanks, Tony, for taking the initiative to research the feasibility of purchasing a color printer for our training department. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 9

4 Types of buffers Compliment Congratulations, Tony, on the 95 percent approval rating from our seminar participants. That s a first for our department. Facts Last week s approval of our Westinghouse proposal will mean a dramatic increase in the number of technical seminars we ll sponsor next year. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Types of buffers General principle I believe in furnishing our trainers with the tools that they need to fulfill our company s training needs. Good news The new Barco projection system that I approved yesterday will enable us to produce multimedia training sessions for the first time. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Types of buffers Understanding I want you to know that I support your efforts to increase the effectiveness of our training mission. Neutral Relevant Supportive Interesting Short Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 12

5 Justifying your Decision Major part of bad news message: REASONS. If possible, explain reader benefit, or other benefits that do not include you. You do not want to sound selfish Not in your Company s best interest: Provide short explanation Business, not personal Don t hide behind company policy, explain Present the strongest reason first. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Giving the Bad News As you have presented valid reasons: Bad news should not come as a surprise Decision is logical and reasonable. If possible, stress what you can do. Avoid these terms: Cannot, are not able to, impossible, unfortunately, sorry, and must refuse. Use impersonal language Resist the temptation to apologize for a reasonable business decision. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Giving the bad news To enable us to have the funds needed to finance our move into multimedia presentations, we re delaying all other capital equipment purchases for six months. These presentations are projected directly from the computer itself, thereby avoiding the need to print color transparencies. Subordinated Positive Impersonal Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 15

6 Closing on a positive note Best wishes Best wishes, Tony, as you continue your efforts to strengthen the training mission of our organization. Counterproposal To help ensure the timely printing of your transparencies, I would be happy to authorize courier service to and from the print shop until we re able to consider this matter further. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Closing on a positive note Other sources of help In the meantime, Marc Dye has indicated that we can use the Kodak color copier in the marketing department for making one or two color copies at a time. Resale or subtle sales promotion Comments that I hear from my colleagues in other departments reinforce my own belief that the training department contributes substantially to the overall success of our firm. Thanks for your help, Tony. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Rejecting an Idea Purpose two-fold: Refuse and maintain goodwill (especially if the idea came from an employee.) Educate and give reasons why. Remember they spent time trying to persuade you about their idea. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 18

7 Refusing a Claim Indirect is almost always used. Don t wait Tone is crucial. Convey respect, sincerity, and courtesy. Use buffer of understanding. Impersonal language, and explain Is there room for compromise? Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Bad-News Announcements Audience reaction Depending on audience, direct or indirect. Organization experiencing problems. Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved buffer Key term Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8 21