NEGATIVE MESSAGES

Business Communication – Dr. Garamvölgyi Judit

Communicating Negative News
Effectively
■ You may have to write messages
– declining proposals,
– explaining service outages,
– describing data breaches,
– announcing price increases,
– refusing requests for donations,
– turning down invitations,
– responding to unhappy customers.
■ You might have to apologise
– for mistakes in orders or pricing,
– the rudeness of employees,
– overlooked appointments,
– faulty accounting,
– defective products,
– jumbled instructions.
■ As a company representative, you may have to respond to complaints posted for the world to see on
Identifying Your Goals in Communicating
Negative News
■ Explain clearly and completely - to make your readers understand and, in the best
case, accept the bad news.
■ Project a professional image - should strive to stay calm, use polite language, and
respond with clear explanations of why a negative message was necessary.
■ Convey empathy and sensitivity - Use language that respects the receiver but also
attempts to reduce bad feelings.
■ Be fair - When you can show that the decision was fair, impartial, and rational,
receivers are far more likely to accept the negative news.
■ Maintain friendly relations - A final goal is to demonstrate your desire to continue
pleasant relations with the receivers and to regain their confidence.
Analyzing Negative News Strategies

■ How to catagorise bad news?

– Audience
– Purpose
– Context
■ Approaches to negative news must be flexible!
■ One of the first steps you will take before delivering negative news is analyzing how
your receiver will react to this news.
When to Use the Direct Strategy

Saves time and is preferred by some who consider it to be more professional and even more
ethical than the indirect strategy.
■ When the bad news is not damaging - If the bad news is insignificant (such as a small
increase in cost) and doesn’t personally affect the receiver
■ When the receiver may overlook the bad news - Changes in service, new policy
requirements, and legal announcements—these critical messages may require boldness
to ensure attention.
■ When the organization or receiver prefers directness - Some companies and
individuals expect all internal messages and announcements—even bad news— to be
straightforward and presented without frills.
■ When firmness is necessary - Messages that must demonstrate determination and
strength should not use delaying techniques.
When to Use the Indirect Strategy
The indirect strategy does not reveal the bad news immediately. This strategy, at least
theoretically, enables you to keep the reader’s attention until you have been able to explain
the reasons for the bad news.
■ When the bad news is personally upsetting - If the negative news involves the
receiver personally, such as a layoff notice, when a company has made a mistake that
inconveniences or disadvantages a customer.
■ When the bad news will provoke a hostile reaction - It begins with a buffer and
reasons, thus encouraging the reader to finish reading or hearing the message. A blunt
announcement may make the receiver stop reading.
■ When the bad news threatens the customer relationship - Beginning slowly and
presenting reasons that explain what happened can be more helpful than directly
announcing bad news or failing to adequately explain the reasons.
■ When the bad news is unexpected - Readers who are totally surprised by bad news
tend to have a more negative reaction than those who expected it, bad news would be
better received if it were revealed cautiously with reasons first.
 Four-Part Indirect Strategy for Bad News

Buffer Reasons Bad News Closing

Open with a neutral Explain the causes Reveal the bad End with a
but meaningful of the bad news news without personalized, forward-
statement that does before disclosing it. emphasizing it. looking, pleasant
not mention the Provide an statement. Avoid
bad news. alternative or referring to the bad
compromise, if news.
possible.
Buffer

■ Best News - Start with the part of the message that represents the best news.
■ Compliment - Praise the receiver’s accomplishments, organization, or efforts, but do so
with honesty and sincerity.
■ Appreciation - Convey thanks for doing business, for sending something, for showing
confidence in your organization, for expressing feelings, or simply for providing
feedback.
■ Agreement - Make a relevant statement with which both you and the receiver can
agree.
■ Facts - Provide objective information that introduces the bad news.
■ Understanding - Show that you care about the reader.
Apologising

An apology is defined as an “admission of blameworthiness and regret for an undesirable

event. Apologies to customers are especially important if you or your company erred. They cost
nothing, and they go a long way in soothing hard feelings. Sincere apologies work and may
even affect the bottom line.
■ Apologize promptly and sincerely - Credibility suffers when a public figure delays an
apology and responds only after causing an outrage.
■ Accept responsibility
■ Use good judgment - Before admitting blame, it might be wise to consult a superior or the
company legal counsel to avoid litigation.
■ Part of a good apology is showing empathy - empathy is the ability to understand and
enter into the feelings of another.
Presenting the Reasons
Providing an explanation reduces feelings of ill will and improves the chances that readers will accept
the bad news. Without sound reasons for denying a request, refusing a claim, or revealing other bad
news, a message will fail, no matter how cleverly it is organized or written.
■ Explaining Clearly - If the reasons are not confidential and if they will not create legal liability,
you can be specific. Don’t make unrealistic or dangerous statements in an effort to be the good
guy.
■ Explaining Company Policy - Readers resent blanket policy statements prohibiting something.
Instead of hiding behind company policy, gently explain why the policy makes sense, By offering
explanations, you demonstrate that you care about readers and are treating them as important
individuals.
■ Choosing Positive Words - Because the words you use can affect a reader’s response, choose
carefully. Remember that the objective of the indirect strategy is holding the reader’s attention
until you have had a chance to explain the reasons justifying the bad news. To keep the reader in
a receptive mood, avoid expressions with punitive, demoralizing, or otherwise negative
connotations.ű
■ Showing Fairness and Serious Intent - In explaining reasons, show the reader that you take the
matter seriously, have investigated carefully, and are making an unbiased decision. Receivers are
more accepting of disappointing news when they feel that their requests have been heard and that
Cushioning the Bad News

■ Positioning the Bad News Strategically - Instead of spotlighting it, sandwich the bad news
between other sentences, perhaps among your reasons. Don’t let the refusal begin or end a
paragraph; the reader’s eye will linger on these high visibility spots. Another technique that
reduces shock is putting a painful idea in a subordinate clause Subordinate clauses often begin
with words such as although, as, because, if, and since.
■ Using the Passive Voice - Passive-voice verbs enable you to depersonalize an action.
■ Highlighting the Positive - Messages are far more effective when you describe what you can
do instead of what you can’t do.
■ Implying the Refusal - It is sometimes possible to avoid a direct refusal. Often, your reasons
and explanations leave no doubt that a request has been denied. Explicit refusals may be
unnecessary and at times cruel. The danger of an implied refusal, of course, is that it is so subtle
that the reader misses it. Be certain that you make the bad news clear, thus preventing the need
for further correspondence.
■ Suggesting a Compromise or an Alternative - A refusal is not so depressing—for the sender
or the receiver—if a suitable compromise, substitute, or alternative is available.
Closing Pleasantly

After explaining the bad news sensitively, close the message with a pleasant statement that
promotes goodwill. The closing should be personalized and may include a forward look, an
alternative, good wishes, freebies, resale information, or a sales promotion.
Forward Look - Anticipate future relations or business. A letter that refuses a contract proposal
might read: Thanks for your bid. We look forward to working with your talented staff when future
projects demand your special expertise.
An Alternative - If an alternative exists, you might end your letter with followthrough advice.
Good Wishes
Freebies - When customers complain—primarily about food products or small consumer items
—companies often send coupons, samples, or gifts to restore confidence and promote future
business
Assertive Communication

■ If your friend asks you to do a favor for her but you have a project to focus on,
there are three ways you can respond:

■ Aggressive response: “Absolutely not. You always ask for favors at the last
minute! You need to start learning how to manage your life before asking me to
drop everything to help you.”

■ Passive response: “Yeah, of course. No problem at all.”

■ Assertive response: “As much as I’d love to help, unfortunately, I have a lot of
work to get through today. I hope you’re able to find someone else though.”
Examples of Assertive Communication

■ Use “I” statements to ensure that you clearly communicate how you feel to the
other person (e.g., “I would like...”). Aggressive requests usually begin with
“you” (e.g., “You never do this…)
■ Avoid extreme language (e.g., “always”, “never”).
■ Use clear verbs to communicate your message (e.g., “will” instead of “could”,
“need” instead of “want).
■ Actively listen to the feedback you receive (whether it’s positive or negative)
and be respectful in your response back
How to Say No

■ Give a reason - To simply decline to do something seems arbitrary, lazy, or

irresponsible. If you give a good, solid reason for your decision, it will show that you’re
reasonable.
■ Be diplomatic - Saying no can hurt, upset, or even anger the person to whom you’re
saying it. Tact is essential when turning down anything.
■ Suggest a trade-off - If you explain that you’re willing to find some other way to
contribute, you’ll underscore your goodwill.
■ Don’t put off your decision - “Let me think it over ...” is probably the most common
way for people to postpone an inevitable “no.” And it’s utterly unfair. Be courageous. If
you know that you cannot or will not do something, be decisive and say it, then and
there. Delaying a decision is only justified in intricate situations.