MGMT 1P96 - chapter 6

communicating bad news

if you communicate bad news ineffectively, you risk angering people, potentially losing customers, clients, or employees, and facing legal liabilities

how should you analyze and plan a bad-news message

• ask questions that help you develop content

• select the best medium to achieve your goal

questions that help you develop content

1. what is the bad news?

2. what business result would you like to achieve?

3. how will the audience react to this news?

4. what justification and explanation should you include?

5. is there anything you can say to soften the bad news?

6. should you include an apology?

7. can you do anything else to project a positive image and maintain goodwill?

how to select the best medium to achieve your goal

when determining the best medium option, weigh the pros/cons of your choices (e.g., face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, email messages, etc.).

can you email, text, or tweet bad news?

• in general, avoid email or text messages for delivering bad news

  • instead, talk to your audience in person or on the telepohne

  • a face-to-face conversation may be more uncomfortable, but it will be more effective

• is email ever a good choice for communicating bad news? yes…

  • if you want to give your audience time to think carefully before having to reply

  • if it is crucial that you avoid miscommunication and misinformation

  • if you need to get the word out quickly

  • if you need to communicate bad news to many people in different locations at exactly the same time

what are the effective strategies for composing bad-news messages?

1. decide where to state the bad news

2. phrase the bad news clearly

3. soften the bad news

4. close the message positively

decide where to state the bad news

use direct organization if…

your audience

• is unlikely to be upset or angry

• expects the news and will not be surprised

and the news

• is easy to explain and understand

• is important for the audience to see immediately

• is relevant to health and safety

direct organization follows this pattern…

1. optional: begin with a buffer

2. STATE THE BAD NEWS DIRECTLY (main idea)

3. provide supporting explanation

4. conclude with goodwill

decide where to state the bad news

use indirect organization if…

your audience

• is likely to be upset or angry

• does not expect the news and will be surprised

or the news

• is difficult to understand without introductory explanation

indirect organization follows this pattern…

1. optional: begin with a buffer

2. provide supporting explanation

3. SUBORDINATE THE BAD NEWS (main idea)

4. conclude with goodwill

direct organization

a direct organization will help the audience find the news quickly

direct organization gets to the point directly

indirect organization

an indirect organization can provide necessary context

bad news about a complex problem may require an indirect organization

how to soften the bad news

for both direct and indirect approaches, “softening” the bad news helps the audience accept the message

• develop an effective buffer:

  • lead up to bad news

  • provide a context or build goodwill

• position good news ahead of bad news

• subordinate the bad news:

  • use a subordinate clause

  • use a passive-voice sentence

• use positive or neutral language:

  • avoid blaming your audience

  • eliminate excessive negatives

subordinate the bad news

instead of putting bad news in a main clause…

• the repairs on your MP3 player are not covered by the warranty. however, we have enclosed a list of third-party vendors who can replace the screen within two days for a very reasonable charge

… put the bad news in a subordinate clause

• although the repairs on your MP3 player are not covered by warranty, we have enclosed a list of third party vendors who can replace the screen within two days for a very reasonable charge

how to use positive or neutral language

• avoid blaming or accusing your audience

• avoid excess negatives

close the message positively

the end of a message provides an opportunity to be forward-looking, instill confidence, and promote goodwill

• purpose a solution

• purpose an alternative

• create options for future business

• focus on a benefit

how do people communicate bad news in the U.S and many Western business cultures?

• in the U.S. and many Western business cultures, explicitly

  • this may soften the bad news by using a buffer or subordinating it, but at some point in the message, they will state the bad news

how do people communicate bad news in india and many eastern cultures

• in india and many eastern cultures, subtly

  • people say “no” in a very different way. they may ignore the question, change the subject, respond with another question, or make a statement from which you will infer the negative news

how should you evaluate bad-news messages?

• evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty, and sense of goodwill

• evaluate the business result

what types of bad-news messages are common in business?

• denying requests or turning down invitation

  • find a tactful, professional way to say “no” and, at the same time, not make your audience feel guilty for asking

• denying customer claims

• rejecting recommendations or proposals

  • express appreciation and provide a convincing explanation

  • maintain goodwill by being polite and respectful, using neutral language, and having a conversational tone

• acknowledging mistakes or problems

• communicating performance problems

  • balance a clear statement of bad news with positive statements of goodwill

• communicating negative change

acknowledging mistakes or problems

taking responsibility for mistakes and bad decisions is critical for maintaining credibility and goodwill

one approach to acknowledging mistakes…

1. announce the bad news

2. provide an explanation

3. put it in context to soften it

4. assume responsibility

5. outline next steps to fix the problem and prevent reoccurrence

communicating negative change

communication is typically an element in change management plans, especially when change negatively affects an audience, as is the case with layoffs and reductions in benefits

• communicating effectively is not always efficient

• communicating effectively with people who resist change requires:

  • listening

  • keeping an open mind

  • having multiple conversations

how to give (and take) constructive criticism and maintain collaborative working relationships

much of the work you will do in your career will be collaborative. you will likely have to depend on other people to provide information. constructive criticism is often part of that process. the BET/BEAR framework can help you deliver (and accept) constructive criticism effectively

• BET — Behaviour, Effect, Thanks — is used for positive feedback

• BEAR — Behaviour, Effect, Alternative, Results — provides a constructive spin on negative feedback

BET/BEAR framework for constructive criticism

Behaviour: the behaviour you want to compliment

Effect: the positive effect the behaviour has on the team’s success

Thanks: expression of appreciation

Behaviour: the behaviour that is causing the problem

Effect: the negative effect the behaviour has on the team’s success

Alternative: your recommendation to solve the problem

Result: the positive outcome from solving the problem

how you want your audience to perceive your bad news

• understand your rationale

• believe you are reasonable

• feel good about you and about themselves

how to maintain positive relations and image of your business

• state bad news clearly

• soften its negative effect

• counter bad news that others may spend about your business