1. Business Communication Today
Chapter 11
Writing Negative Messages
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Chapter 11 ̶

2. Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Negative Messages
Delivering negative information is rarely easy and never enjoyable, but with some helpful guidelines, you can craft messages that minimize negative reactions. Whenever you deliver negative news, you have five main goals:
To convey the bad news
To gain acceptance for it
To maintain as much goodwill as possible with your audience
To maintain a good image for your organization
To reduce or eliminate future correspondence on the matter, if appropriate
Accomplishing all five goals requires careful attention to planning, writing, and completing your message.
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3. Step 1: Planning a Negative Message
Planning Elements
Consider Your Audience and Purpose
Gather the Information You Need
Choose the Right Media and Channel
Choose the Best Approach
When you need to convey negative news, remember that your audience doesn’t want to hear what you have to say. To minimize the damage to business relationships and to encourage the acceptance of your message, plan carefully. With a clear purpose and your audience’s needs in mind, gather the information your audience will need in order to understand and accept your message.
Selecting the right medium and channel is critical. Experts advise that bad news for employees should always be delivered in person whenever possible. Doing so isn’t always possible; sometimes you’ll have to share important negative information through written and digital media.
Defining your main idea in a negative message is often more complicated than simply saying no.
Finally, choosing the best approach for a negative messages requires particular care. A negative message using the direct approach opens with the bad news, proceeds to the reasons for the situation or the decision, and ends with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience. In contrast, the indirect approach opens with the reasons behind the bad news before presenting the bad news itself.
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4. Choosing the Direct or Indirect Approach
Do You Need to Get the Reader’s Attention?
Does the Reader Prefer a Direct Approach?
How Important Is the News to the Reader?
Will the Negative News Come as a Shock?
More
Less
Direct
Indirect
To help decide which approach to take in any situation you encounter, ask yourself the following questions:
Do you need to get the reader’s attention immediately? If the situation is an emergency, or if someone has ignored repeated messages, the direct approach can help you get attention quickly.
Does the recipient prefer a direct style of communication? Some recipients prefer the direct approach no matter what, so if you know this, go with direct.
How important is this news to the reader? For minor or routine scenarios, the direct approach is nearly always best. However, if the reader has an emotional investment in the situation or the consequences to the reader are considerable, the indirect approach is often better, particularly if the bad news is unexpected.
Will the bad news come as a shock? The direct approach is fine for many business situations in which people understand the possibility of receiving bad news. However, if the bad news might come as a shock to readers, use the indirect approach to help them prepare for it.
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5. Step 2: Writing a Negative Message
Writing Elements
Write with Clarity and Sensitivity
Clarify Your Qualifications
Observe Communication Etiquette
Choose Positive, Productive Words
By writing clearly and sensitively, you can take some of the sting out of bad news and help your reader accept the decision and move on. If your credibility hasn’t already been established with an audience, clarify your qualifications so message recipients won’t question your authority or ability.
When you use language that conveys respect and avoids an accusing tone, you protect your audience’s pride. This kind of communication etiquette is always important, but it demands special care with negative messages. Moreover, you can ease the sense of disappointment by using positive words rather than negative, counterproductive ones.
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6. Step 3: Completing a Negative Message
Completing Elements
Revise Your Content
Produce Professional Documents
Proofread Your Work Carefully
Deliver Messages Promptly
The need for careful attention to detail continues as you complete your message. Revise your content to make sure everything is clear, complete, and concise—even small flaws can be magnified in readers’ minds as they react to your negative news. Produce clean, professional documents, and proofread carefully to eliminate mistakes. Finally, be sure to deliver messages promptly; withholding or delaying bad news can be unethical and even illegal. 
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7. Using the Direct Approach for Negative Messages
A negative message organized using the direct approach starts with a clear statement of the bad news, present reasons for the decision (perhaps offering alternatives), and ends with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience.
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8. Opening with a Clear Statement of the Bad News
Use the Introductory Paragraph
State the Bad News Up Front
Maintain a Calm, Professional Tone
State Why You’re Writing, If Needed
No matter what the news is, come right out and say it, but maintain a calm, professional tone that keeps the focus on the news and not on individual failures or other personal factors. Also, if necessary, explain or remind the reader why you’re writing.
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9. Providing Reasons and Additional Information
Explain Why the News Is Negative
Consider the Nature of the News
Assess Your Relationship with Readers
Determine Whether to Apologize
In most cases, follow the direct opening with an explanation of why the news is negative. The extent of your explanation depends on the nature of the news and your relationship with the reader. However, you will encounter some situations in which explaining negative news is neither appropriate nor helpful, such as when the reasons are confidential, excessively complicated, or irrelevant to the reader.
Should you apologize when delivering bad news? Some experts have advised that a company should never apologize, even when it knows it has made a mistake; the apology might be taken as a confession of guilt that could be used against the company in a lawsuit. However, judges, juries, and plaintiffs tend to be more forgiving of companies that express sympathy for wronged parties. An apology can also help repair a company’s reputation.
The best general advice in the event of a serious mistake or accident is to immediately and sincerely express sympathy and offer help if appropriate, without admitting guilt; then seek the advice of your company’s lawyers before elaborating.
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10. Closing on a Respectful Note
Show Respect for the Recipient
Consider Alternative Solutions
Try to Include Positive Statements
Take Steps to Avoid Future Mistakes
After you’ve explained the negative news, close the message in a way that respects the impact the negative news is likely to have on the recipient. If appropriate, consider offering your readers an alternative solution if you can and if doing so is a good use of your time. Look for opportunities to include positive statements, but avoid creating false hopes. Ending on a false positive can leave readers feeling “disrespected, disregarded, or deceived.”
In many situations, an important aspect of a respectful close is describing the actions being taken to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Offering such explanations can underline the sincerity of an apology because doing so signals that the person or organization is serious about not repeating the error.
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11. Using the Indirect Approach for Negative Messages
The indirect approach helps readers prepare for the bad news by outlining the reasons for the situation before presenting the bad news itself. However, the indirect approach is not meant to obscure bad news, delay it, or limit your responsibility. The purpose of this approach is to ease the impact of the bad news and help readers accept it. When done poorly, the indirect approach can be disrespectful and even unethical. When done well, it is a good example of “you-oriented” communication crafted with attention to both ethics and etiquette.
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12. Opening With a Buffer Establish Common Ground
Express Your Appreciation
Show Your Attention to the Request
Show You Understand Readers’ Needs
The first step in using the indirect approach is to write a buffer—a neutral, non-controversial statement that establishes common ground with the reader. A good buffer can express your appreciation for being considered (if you’re responding to a request), assure the reader of your attention to the request, or indicate your understanding of the reader’s needs. A good buffer is relevant and sincere. In contrast, a poorly written buffer might trivialize the reader’s concerns, divert attention from the problem with insincere flattery or irrelevant material, or mislead the reader into thinking your message actually contains good news.
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13. Providing Reasons and Additional Information
Introduce Negative Points Gradually
Provide Concise, Sufficient Details
Don’t Hide Behind Company Policy
An ideal explanation section leads readers to your conclusion before you come right out and say it. The reader has followed your line of reasoning and is ready for the answer. By giving your reasons effectively, you help maintain focus on the issues at hand and defuse emotions that always accompany bad news.
Even valid, well-thought-out reasons won’t convince every reader in every situation. However, if you’ve done a good job of laying out your reasoning, then you’ve done everything you can to prepare the reader for the main idea, which is the negative news itself.
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14. Continuing With a Clear Statement of the Bad News
Deemphasize the Bad News
Use a Conditional Statement
Stress What You Can Do or Have Done
Three techniques are especially useful for saying "no" as clearly and as kindly as possible.
First, de-emphasize the bad news:
Minimize the space and time devoted to the bad news.
Subordinate bad news within a complex or compound sentence.
Embed the bad news in the middle of a paragraph or use parenthetical expressions.
However, keep in mind that it's possible to abuse de-emphasis. State the bad news clearly; then transition to any positive news that might balance the story.
Second, use a conditional (if or when) statement to imply that the audience could have received, or might someday receive, a favorable answer (e.g., “When you have more managerial experience, you are welcome to reapply”). Such a statement could motivate applicants to improve their qualifications.
Third, emphasize what you can do or have done, rather than what you cannot do. By focusing on the positive and implying the bad news, you can make the impact less personal and soften the blow.
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15. Closing on a Respectful Note
Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion
Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion
Limit Future Correspondence
Express Optimism, if Appropriate
Be Sincere and Avoid Clichés
The conclusion is your opportunity to emphasize your respect for your audience, even though you’ve just delivered unpleasant news. Whatever type of approach you may use, follow these guidelines:
Avoid an uncertain conclusion. If the situation or decision is final, avoid statements such as “I trust our decision is satisfactory,” which can imply that the matter is open to discussion or negotiation.
Manage future correspondence. Encourage additional communication only if you’re willing to discuss your decision further.
Express optimism, if appropriate. Don’t anticipate problems that have not occurred yet.
Be sincere. Steer clear of clichés that are insincere in view of the bad news. If you can’t help, don’t say, “If we can be of any help, please contact us.”
Keep in mind that the close is the last thing audience members have to remember you by. Even though they’re disappointed, leave them with the impression that they were treated with respect.
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16. Maintaining High Standards of Ethics and Etiquette.
Ethics and etiquette are especially important when you are delivering bad news—for several reasons:
A variety of laws and regulations dictate the content and delivery of many business messages with potentially negative content, such as the release of financial information by a public company.
Negative messages can have a significant effect on the lives of those receiving them. Even if the news is conveyed legally and conscientiously, good ethical practice demands that these situations be approached with care and sensitivity.
Emotions often run high when negative messages are involved, for both the sender and the receiver. Senders need to not only manage their own emotions but also consider the emotional state of their audiences.
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17. Sharing Bad News in Organizations
Employees
Sending Negative News
Timely Communication
Managers
Open Communication
Active Listening
Whistleblowers
Reporting Mechanisms
Respect and Protection
Effectively sharing bad news within an organization requires a commitment from everyone involved. Employees must commit to sending negative messages when necessary and to doing so in a timely fashion, even when that is unpleasant or difficult. Conversely, managers must commit to maintaining open communication channels, truly listening when employees have negative information to share, and not punishing employees who deliver bad news.
Employees who observe unethical or illegal behavior within their companies and are unable to resolve the problems through normal channels may have no choice but to resort to whistleblowing—expressing their concerns internally through company ethics hotlines—or externally through social media or the news media if they perceive no other options.
Whistleblowing can be an invaluable way to alert management to poor business practices. Recognizing the value of this feedback, many companies have formal reporting mechanisms that give employees a way to voice ethical and legal concerns to management. Various government bodies have also instituted protections for whistleblowers, partly in recognition of the role that workers play in food safety and other vital areas.
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18. Sending Negative Messages on Routine Business Matters
Professionals and companies receive a wide variety of requests and cannot respond positively to every single one. In addition, mistakes and unforeseen circumstances can lead to delays and other minor problems that occur in the course of business. Occasionally, companies must send negative messages to suppliers and other parties. Whatever the purpose, crafting routine negative responses and messages quickly and graciously is an important skill for every businessperson.
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19. Negative Announcements on Routine Business Matters
Open with a Buffer 1
Provide Reasons and Information 2
Deliver the Announcement 3
Close the Message Appropriately 4
Managers sometimes need to make unexpected announcements of a negative nature. Except in the case of minor changes, the indirect approach is usually the better choice. Therefore, open with a buffer that establishes some mutual ground between you and the reader, advance your reasoning, announce the change, and close with as much positive information and sentiment as appropriate under the circumstances.
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20. Rejecting Suggestions and Proposals
Solicited
Unsolicited
Internal
External
Managers receive a variety of suggestions and proposals, both solicited and unsolicited, from internal and external sources. For an unsolicited proposal from an external source, you may not need to respond if you don’t already have a working relationship with the sender. However, if you need to reject a proposal that you solicited, you owe the sender an explanation; and because the news will be unexpected, the direct approach is better. In general, the closer your working relationship, the more thoughtful and complete you need to be in your response. For example, if you are rejecting a proposal from an employee, explain your reasons fully and carefully so that the employee can understand why the proposal was not accepted, and so that you don’t damage an important working relationship.
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21. Refusing Routine Requests
Manage Your Time Carefully
If The Matter’s Closed, Say So
Offer Alternatives, If Possible
Don’t Imply Further Assistance
Saying "no" is a routine part of business and shouldn't reflect negatively on you. If you said "yes" to every request that crossed your desk, you'd never get any work done. The direct approach works best for most routine negative responses. Your audience gets the answer quickly, and it saves you time. The indirect approach works best if the stakes are high, if you or your company has an established relationship with the person making the request, or you are forced to deny a request that you may have granted in the past.
Consider the following points as you develop routine negative messages:
Manage your time carefully. Focus your limited time on the most important relationships and requests; craft quick, standard responses for less important situations.
If the matter is closed, do not imply that it is still open. If your answer is “no,” then avoid phrases such as “Let me think about it and get back to you” as a delaying tactic.
Offer alternative ideas if you can. However, remember to use your time wisely in such matters. Unless the relationship is vital to your company, you probably should not spend time researching alternatives for the other person.
Do not imply that other assistance or information might be available if it is not. A disingenuous attempt to soothe hostile feelings could simply lead to another request you will have to refuse.
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22. Handling Bad News About Transactions
These Messages Have Three Goals:
Modify the Customer’s Expectations
Explain Your Plan of Action
Repair The Business Relationship
Bad news about transactions is always unwelcome and usually unexpected. These messages have three goals:
Modify the customer's expectations regarding the transaction
Explain how you plan to resolve the situation
Repair whatever damage might have been done to the business relationship
The content and tone of each message can vary widely, depending on the nature of the transaction and your relationship with the customer. If you have not done anything specific to set the customer's expectations—such as promising delivery within 24 hours—the message simply needs to inform the customer, with little or no emphasis on apologies. If you did set the customer's expectations but you can’t meet them, your task is more complex. In addition to resetting the customer's expectations and explaining how you will resolve the problem, some messages may need to include an element of apology.
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23. Refusing Claims and Requests for Adjustments
Employ These
Avoid These
Positive Tone
Understanding
Explanations, Facts
Appropriate Close
Negative Tone
Accusations
Abusive Language
Anger or Malice
Almost every customer who makes a claim or requests an adjustment is emotionally involved, so the indirect approach is usually best for a refusal. Your job as a writer is to avoid accepting responsibility for the unfortunate situation and yet avoid blaming or accusing the customer. To steer clear of these pitfalls, pay special attention to the tone of your message. A tactful, courteous tone can build goodwill, even while denying the claim. Demonstrate that you have considered the complaint carefully, and then explain why you’re refusing the request. Close on a respectful, action-oriented note.
When dealing with customers, chances are good that you will get a request that is outrageous. However, avoid responding with angry, abusive language. If you do, you could be accused of defamation—a false statement that damages someone's character or reputation. Stick to the facts, communicate honestly, and emphasize a desire for a good relationship in the future. If you think a situation might have legal consequences, consult your company’s legal advisors before you respond.
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24. Sending Negative Organizational Messages
From time to time, managers must share negative information with the public at large, and sometimes respond to negative information as well. Most of these scenarios have unique challenges that must be addressed on a case-by-case basis, but the general advice offered in this section applies to all of them. One key difference among all of these messages is whether you have time to plan the announcement. The following slides cover negative organizational news under normal circumstances and during emergencies.
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25. Communicating Under Normal Circumstances
Match the approach to the situation.
Consider each group’s unique needs.
Give each audience time to react.
Plan and manage a response.
Be positive without false optimism.
Seek expert advice, as needed.
Businesses must convey a range of negative messages regarding their ongoing operations. As you plan such messages, be sure to consider your audiences and their unique needs:
Match your approach to the situation. A modest price increase won’t shock most customers, so the direct approach is fine. However, canceling a product that people count on is another matter, so the indirect approach might be better.
Consider the unique needs of each group. Various groups of people will have different information needs.
Give each audience enough time to react as needed. Customers and employees need sufficient time to adjust to the effects of the negative news.
Give yourself enough time to plan and manage a response. Chances are that you’re going to be hit with complaints or questions after you make your announcement, so make sure you’re ready with answers and additional follow-up information.
Look for positive angles but don’t exude false optimism. If eliminating a seldom-used employee benefit means employees will save money, by all means, promote that positive angle. On the other hand, laying off 10,000 people does not give them “an opportunity to explore new horizons.” Instead, it’s a traumatic event.
Seek expert advice if you’re not sure. Many significant negative announcements have important technical, financial, or legal elements that require the expertise of lawyers, accountants, or other specialists.
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26. Responding to Rumors and Countering Negative Information1
Engage Early and Engage Often
Make the Appropriate Response 4
Monitor Online Conversations 2
Evaluate Negative Messages 3
Responding to rumors and countering negative information requires an ongoing effort and case-by-case decisions about which messages require a response. Follow these four steps:
Engage early, engage often. Perhaps the most important step in responding to negative information has to be done before the negative information appears, and that is to engage with communities of stakeholders as a long-term strategy.
Monitor the conversation. If people are interested in what your company does, chances are they are blogging, tweeting, podcasting, posting videos, writing on Facebook walls, and otherwise sharing their opinions. Listen to what people are saying.
Evaluate negative messages. When you encounter negative messages, resist the urge to fire back immediately. Instead, evaluate the source, the tone, and the content of the message and then choose a response that fits the situation.
Respond appropriately. After you have assessed a negative message, take the appropriate response based on an overall public relations plan.
Whatever you do, don’t assume that a positive reputation doesn’t need to be diligently guarded and defended. Everybody has a voice now, and some of those voices don’t care to play by the rules of ethical communication. 
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27. Communicating in a Crisis
Developing a Crisis Management Plan
Define Operational Procedures
Outline Communication Tasks
State Communication Responsibilities
Some of the most critical instances of business communication occur during crises. During a crisis, customers, employees, local communities, and others will demand information. In addition, rumors can spread unpredictably and uncontrollably. You can also expect the news media to descend quickly, asking questions of anyone they can find. Although you can’t predict these events, you can prepare for them.
The key to successful communication efforts during a crisis is having a crisis management plan. In addition to defining operational procedures to deal with the crisis, this plan outlines communication tasks and responsibilities, which can include everything from media contacts to news release templates. The plan should clearly specify which people are authorized to speak for the company, provide contact information for all key executives, and include a list of the news outlets and social media tools that will disseminate information.
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28. Sending Negative Employment Messages
As a manager, you’ll find yourself in a variety of situations in which you have to convey bad news about individual employees or potential employees. Recipients often have an emotional stake in your message, so taking the indirect approach is usually advised. In addition, use great care in choosing media for these messages. For instance, and other written forms let you control the message and avoid personal confrontation, but one-on-one conversations are often viewed as more sensitive and give both sides the opportunity to ask and answer questions.
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29. Refusing Requests for Employee References and Recommendations
Requested by
Employers
Requested by
Applicants
Conciseness
Diplomacy
Even though many states have passed laws to protect employers who provide open and honest job references for former employees, legal hazards persist. That is why many former employers still refuse to write recommendation letters, especially for people whose job performance has been unsatisfactory. When sending refusals to prospective employers, your message may be brief and direct.
Refusing an applicant’s direct request for a recommendation letter is another matter. Any refusal to cooperate may seem to be a personal slight and a threat to the applicant's future. Diplomacy and preparation help readers accept your refusal.
Directness
Preparation
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30. Refusing Social Network Recommendation Requests
Three Basic
Approaches
Ignoring
Refraining
Responding
Making recommendations in a social media environment is more complicated than with traditional recommendation letters. The endorsements you give become part of your online profile and part of your personal brand. Fortunately, social networks give you a bit more flexibility when it comes to responding to these requests.
One option is to simply ignore or delete the request.
Another option is to refrain from making recommendations at all, and just letting people know this policy when they ask.
If you choose to make recommendations and want to respond to a request, you can write as much or as little information about the person as you are comfortable sharing.
Whatever you decide, remember that it is your choice.
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31. Rejecting Job Applications
Personalize the Message
Express Your Appreciation
Convey the Negative News
Although rejections are routine communications, they are difficult to write because saying "no" is never easy, and recipients are emotionally invested in the decision. Moreover, companies must be aware of the possibility of employment discrimination lawsuits, which have been on the rise in recent years; therefore, rejections must also be written in such a way that they don’t suggest any hint of discrimination.
Expert opinions differ on the level of information to include in a rejection message, but the safest strategy is a minimal approach that includes the following elements:
Personalize the message by using the recipient’s name.
Open with a courteous expression of appreciation for being considered.
Convey the negative news politely and concisely.
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32. Rejecting Job Applications
Avoid Offering Explanations
Don’t Imply Future Consideration
Close on a Positive, Courteous Note
Avoid explaining why an applicant was rejected or why others were chosen.
Don’t state or imply that the application will be reviewed at a later date.
Close with positive wishes for the applicant’s career success.
Naturally, you should adjust your tactics to the circumstances.
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33. Giving Negative Performance Reviews
Document performance problems.
Evaluate all employees consistently.
Write in a calm, objective voice.
Focus on opportunities for improvement.
Keep job descriptions up to date.
Performance reviews are designed to clarify job requirements, give employees feedback on their performance relative to those requirements, and establish a personal plan of action to ensure continued performance in the future. Performance reviews also help companies set organizational standards and communicate organizational values. In addition, they document evidence of performance in the event that disciplinary action is needed or an employee later disputes management decisions regarding pay or promotions.
If you need to write a review that includes negative information, keep the following points in mind:
Document performance problems. You will need this information in order to write an effective appraisal and to support decisions about pay, promotions, or termination.
Evaluate all employees consistently. Consistency is not only fair but also helps protect the company from claims of discriminatory practices.
Write in a calm, objective voice. The employee is not likely to welcome your negative assessment, but you can manage the emotions of the situation by staying professional in your writing.
Focus on opportunities for improvement. This information can serve as the foundation for an improvement plan for the coming year.
Keep job descriptions up to date. If a job evolves over time in response to changes in the business, the employees’ current activities may no longer match an outdated job description.
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34. Terminating Employment
Present Reasons
Don’t Discriminate
Obey Policy & Law
Avoid Insults
Seek Advice
Deliver in Person
If an employee’s performance cannot be brought up to company standards or if other factors cause a reduction in the workforce, a company often has no choice but to terminate employment. As with other negative employment messages, termination is fraught with emotions and legal ramifications, so careful planning, complete documentation, and sensitive writing are essential.
Termination messages should always be written with input from the company’s legal staff, but here are some general writing guidelines to bear in mind:
Clearly present the reasons for this action, whether it is the employee’s performance or a business decision unrelated to specific employees.
Make sure the reasons are presented in a way that cannot be construed as unfair or discriminatory.
Follow company policy and any relevant legal guidelines to the letter.
Avoid personal attacks or insults of any kind.
Ask another manager to review the letter before issuing it. An objective reviewer might spot troublesome wording or faulty reasoning.
Deliver the termination letter in person if at all possible. Arrange a meeting that will ensure privacy and freedom from interruptions. 
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35. Business Communication Today
Chapter 11
Writing Negative Messages
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36. Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 11 ̶