Bad-news messages 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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.1 <#> 1

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 OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.2 <#> 2

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 OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.3 <#> 3

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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.4

Presenting bad news indirectly Begin with a buffer. Justify your decision. Present the bad news. Close on a positive note. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.5

Types of buffers AGREEMENT I agree with you that full-color visual aids are more effective and attractive than black-and-white ones. APPRECIATION Thanks, Tony, for taking the initiative to research the feasibility of purchasing a color printer for our training department. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.6 <#> 4

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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.7 <#> 5

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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.8 <#> 6

UNDERSTANDING I want you to know that I support your efforts to increase the effectiveness of our training mission. Neutral Relevant Supportive Interesting Short OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.9 <#> 7

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 OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.10 <#> 8

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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.11 <#> 9

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. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.12 <#> 10

Key term buffer <#> 19 OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.13 <#> 19

LAB 9 test S URBAN SYSTEMS U A major educational campaign is under way to prommote dim- ming, even though most designers are not using flourescent lamps with a dimming range as low as eight percent. 2 recent develop- ments, however, have broadened the range of possibilities for de- signers—compact fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts. promote (SPELLING) fluorescent (SPELLING) 8 (MEASUREMENT) Two (FIRST WORD IN SENTENCE) OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.14

S U The national dimming institute, made up of leading elec- URBAN SYSTEMS U The national dimming institute, made up of leading elec- trical mfrs, seeks to increase awareness of the benefits of lighting controls. The group’s education 101 program has released a C.D.-R.O.M. that will be widely distributed. National Dimming Institute (PROPER NAME) manufacturers (SPELL OUT) Education (NOUN PLUS NUMBER) CD-ROM (NO PERIODS) OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.15

S U Advanced Lighting Concepts started the group. In a recent URBAN SYSTEMS U Advanced Lighting Concepts started the group. In a recent Illuminating Engineering Society newsletter artical entitled “I am dim,” Dr Steve Purdy, 1 of the group’s founders and the com- pany's Director of Sales, noted, “we intend for this new organi- zation to mount a national educational outreach program.” article (SPELLING) Am Dim (TITLE) Dr. (ABB—PERIOD) one (BELOW TEN) director of sales (TITLE AFTER NAME) We (FIRST WORD OF Quotation) OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.16

S U Meetings have been schedualed for different regions of the URBAN SYSTEMS U Meetings have been schedualed for different regions of the country, especially in the northeast, to inform the design commu- nity about the many options available. scheduled (SPELLING) Northeast (REGION OF THE COUNTRY) OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 6/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9.17