Lecture Business and administrative communication: Chapter 10 - Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler

Chapter 10 - Delivering negative messages. In this chapter, students will be able to understand: Different purposes of negative messages; different ways to organize negative messages; ways to construct the different parts of negative messages; how to improve the tone of negative messages; ways to construct different kinds of negative messages; how, and how not, to use technology for negative messages.

Chapter 10 Delivering Negative Messages Copyright © 2015 McGraw­Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw­Hill Education Negative Messages  Information conveyed is negative  Audience’s reaction is negative  Message does not benefit them  Usually they experience disappointment or anger  Varieties Rejections, refusals Policy changes not benefiting customer Poor performance appraisals Disciplinary notices Insulting, intrusive requests Product recalls 10­2 Purposes  Primary Purposes  To give audience bad news  To have audience read, understand, and accept message  To maintain as much goodwill as possible  Secondary Purposes  To build good image of communicator  To build good image of communicator’s organization  To avoid future messages on same subject 10­3 Purposes  Want audience to feel  They have been taken seriously  The decision is fair and reasonable  If they were in your situation, they would make the same decision 10­4 Organizing Negative Messages:   Clients & Customers When you have a reason that the audience will understand and accept, give the reason before the refusal Give the negative information, just once Present an alternative or compromise End with positive forward-looking statement 10­5 Organizing Negative Messages:   Superiors Describe problem clearly Tell how it happened Describe the options for fixing it Recommend a solution and ask for action 10­6 Organizing Negative Messages:    Peers & Subordinates Describe problem objectively, clearly Present an alternative or compromise, if available Ask for input or action, if possible   May suggest helpful solutions Audience may accept outcomes better 10­7 Parts: Subject Lines Include the topic, not the specific negative  Use negative subject lines when the audience     May ignore message Needs information to act Keep in mind not everyone reads all their messages  Be cautious of neutral subject lines 10­8 Parts: Buffers 10­9 Parts: Reasons  Clear, convincing reasons precede refusal    Prepare audience for refusal Help audience accept refusal Don’t hide behind company policy   Show how policy benefits audience If no benefit, omit policy from message 10­10 Parts: Refusals  Put refusal in ¶ with reason to deemphasize  Imply refusal if you can  Make it crystal clear  Finalize message on subject  Don’t write 2nd message to say no 10­11 Parts: Alternatives  Offers way to get what audience wants  Shows you care about audience’s needs  Returns audience’s psychological freedom (freedom of choice)  Allows you to end on positive note 10­12 Parts: Endings Refer to a good alternative at end  Best endings look to future  Avoid insincere endings:   Please let us know if we can be of further help 10­13 Apologies  Don’t apologize    If correcting only small error When not at fault Do apologize      Only once Early in message Briefly Sincerely By focusing on how to correct situation 10­14 Tone in Negative Messages      Tone—implied attitude of the author toward the audience and subject Show you took request seriously Use positive emphasis and you-attitude Think about visual appearance Consider timing of message 10­15 Varieties: Claims and Complaints Needed when something has gone wrong  Use direct organization pattern  Give supporting facts and identifiers  Avoid anger and sarcasm or threats that you will never use company again  10­16 Varieties: Rejections and Refusals  Requests from external audience     Try to use a buffer Give specific reasons Give alternative, if any Requests from internal audience  Use knowledge of culture, individual to craft reply 10­17 Varieties: Disciplinary Notices and  Performance Appraisals Present directly—no buffer  Cite specific observations of behavior     Not inferences Include dates, quantities State when employee may return to work, if disciplinary action is taken 10­18 Varieties: Layoffs and Firings If company likely to fold, tell early  Give honest reasons for firing     Unrelated face-saving reason may create legal liability Avoid broadcasting reasons to avoid defamation lawsuit Deliver orally; backup in writing 10­19 Using Technology Deliver bad news orally when possible  Use technology for widespread negative messages    E-mail Social media 10­20 ... will understand and accept, give the reason before the refusal Give the negative information, just once Present an alternative or compromise End with positive forward-looking statement 10? ?5 Organizing Negative Messages:  ... situation 10? ?14 Tone in Negative Messages      Tone—implied attitude of the author toward the audience and subject Show you took request seriously Use positive emphasis and you-attitude... timing of message 10? ?15 Varieties: Claims? ?and? ?Complaints Needed when something has gone wrong  Use direct organization pattern  Give supporting facts and identifiers  Avoid anger and sarcasm or