Writing Negative Messages
can be tricky. Sharing unexpected and unwelcome news with audiences that have a lot riding on the information requires careful planning and execution. Communicating negative information is unavoidable for business professionals, whether it’s saying no to a request, sharing unpleasant or unwelcome information, or issuing a public apology.
Depending on the situation, there are as many as five distinct goals in conveying negative information:
Convey the bad news. Gain acceptance for the bad news. Maintain as much goodwill as possible with your audience. Maintain a good image for your organization. Reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter.
Step 1: Planning a Negative Message
In all likelihood, the reader doesn’t want to hear bad news. In order to minimize any possible damage to business relationships and to encourage the acceptance of your message, it is important to carefully consider the context in which the reader will receive the message. Consider your purpose thoroughly. Whether it’s a straightforward or complicated message, develop a clear purpose and identify the audience’s needs; having the appropriate information on hand will help the audience understand and accept your message.
Step 1: Planning a Negative Message Continued
Negative messages can be intensely personal to the recipient, and in many cases, recipients have a right to expect a thorough explanation of news given. Selecting the right medium is critical. Bad news for employees should be delivered in person whenever possible, to guard privacy, demonstrate respect, and give them an opportunity to ask questions. There are times, however, when this is not feasible so important negative information through written or electronic media becomes necessary. Defining the organization of a negative message requires particular care. One of the most critical planning decisions is choosing whether to use the direct or indirect approach. 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
To help determine the best approach of for a negative message, consider these questions:
Will the bad news come as a shock? Use the direct approach if the audience anticipates 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. Does the reader prefer short messages that get right to the point? If so, use the direct approach. 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, the indirect approach is often better. Do you need to maintain a close working relationship with the reader? The indirect approach will soften the blow of bad news and preserve a positive business relationship. Do you need to get the reader’s attention? If someone has ignored repeated messages, the direct approach will get their attention. What is your organization’s preferred style? Consider the tone preferred by the company and use that as a framework.
Step 2: Writing a Negative Message
When preparing a negative message, pay close attention to effectiveness, sensitivity, and diplomacy. Keep in mind cultural and organizational differences which may play a role in how the reader interprets the message. Especially when news is negative, clarity is essential. Negative messages to outside audiences require attention to the diverse nature of the audience and the concern for confidentiality of internal information.
Step 2: Writing a Negative Message Continued
Audiences must have respect for the writer’s credibility. Otherwise, they will be more likely to challenge or reject the message. And, as always, protecting your company’s image is a prime concern; if one is not careful, a negative answer could spin out of control into negative feelings about your company. When using language that conveys respect and avoids an accusing tone, the audience will likely have a more positive attitude and be more receptive. Using positive words rather than negative words can ease the sense of disappointment the audience may otherwise feel.
Step 3: Completing a Negative Message
Pay careful attention to details in completing a negative message. Ensure content is clear, complete, and concise—even small flaws are magnified as readers react to negative news. Produce clean, professional documents and proofread carefully to eliminate mistakes. Deliver negative messages promptly and successfully. Delaying the delivery of negative news can be a serious breach of etiquette.
Using the Direct Approach for Negative Messages
A negative message using the direct approach opens with the bad news, proceeds to the reasons for the news, and ends with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience.
Stating the bad news at the beginning has two advantages:
It makes a shorter message possible. It allows the audience to reach the main idea of the message in less time.
Opening with a clear statement of the Bad News
No matter what the news is, come right out and say it. Maintain a calm, professional tone that keeps the focus on the news and not on personal factors.
Providing Reasons and Additional Information
Begin the message with a direct opening with an explanation of why the news is negative. The extent of the explanation depends on the nature of the news and relationship with the reader. If, for some reason, an explanation isn’t possible (perhaps due to confidentiality reasons), explain to the audience why you can’t provide the information. This will help maintain a cordial working relationship with the audience.
Providing Reasons and Additional Information Continued
Apologize or not? In the event of bad news, the best general advice is to immediately and sincerely express sympathy and offer help if appropriate, without admitting guilt, although this should be evaluated case by case. If you do apologize, make it a real apology. Don’t hedge sympathies with vague pleasantries. You can
Closing on a Respectful Note
After delivering negative news, close the message in a manner that respects the impact the negative news is likely to have on the recipient. Look for opportunities to include positive statements, but avoid creating false hopes; don’t suggest that something negative didn’t just happen. Ending on a false positive can leave readers feeling “disrespected, disregarded, or deceived. An important aspect of a respectful close is describing the actions being taken to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Offering explanations can underline the sincerity of an apology, indicating that you are serious about not repeating the error.
Using the Indirect Approach for Negative Messages
The indirect approach helps readers prepare for the bad news by presenting the reasons for it first. However, the indirect approach is not meant to obscure bad news, delay it, or limit responsibility. The purpose of this approach is to ease the blow and help readers accept the situation.
Messages using the indirect approach should open with a buffer: A neutral, noncontroversial statement that establishes common ground with the reader and validates the concerns that prompted the original request— without promising a positive answer. Do not use a buffer as a means to avoiding the negative news to come or to suggest a positive outcome for the reader. Misleading the reader can be dangerous business; always ensure that a buffer is respectful, relevant, isn’t misleading and provides a smooth transition to the reasons that follow. A good buffer needs to be honest and sincere.
Providing Reasons and Additional Information for Indirect Approach
An effective buffer serves as a transition to the body of the message, in which you provide explanations and information that will culminate in the negative news. An ideal explanation section leads readers to the conclusion before they actually get there. Give reasons effectively by maintaining the focus on the issues at hand and defusing the emotions that generally accompany significantly bad news
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When providing reasons, start with the most positive points and move forward to increasingly negative points. Be concise, but provide enough detail for the audience to understand the reasons. Even valid, well-thought-out reasons won’t convince every reader in every situation. However, if a good amount of planning and preparation have been done, you’ve done everything possible to prepare the reader for the main idea, which is the negative news itself
Messages that contain successful reasoning are:
Detailed Tactful Individualized Unapologetic if no one is at fault Positive
Continuing with a Clear Statement of the Bad News
After reasoning has been thoughtfully and logically established, readers are prepared to receive the bad news. State the negative news clearly and then make a smooth transition to any positive news that might balance the story. Use three techniques to convey the negative information as clearly and as kindly as possible Be sure to avoid overly blunt statements that are likely to cause pain and anger.
First, deemphasize the bad news:
Minimize the space or time devoted to the bad news—without trivializing it or withholding any important information. Present bad news in the middle of the sentence, the point of least emphasis. Embed bad news in the middle of a paragraph, if possible.
use a conditional (if or when) statement to imply that the audience could have received, or might someday receive, a favorable answer.
emphasize what you can do or have done rather than what you cannot do. By focusing on the facts, you make the impact less personal. Withholding negative information or overemphasizing positive information is unethical and unfair to your readers.
Closing on a Respectful Note for indirect approach
The close in the indirect approach offers an opportunity to emphasize your respect for your audience, even though you’ve just delivered unpleasant news. Express best wishes without being falsely upbeat. Keep in mind that this 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.
The conclusion should follow these guidelines:
Avoid a negative or uncertain conclusion. Don’t belabor the bad news. Manage future correspondence. Encourage additional communication only if you’re willing to discuss the situation further. Be optimistic about the future, as appropriate. Don’t anticipate problems that haven’t occurred yet. Be sincere. Steer clear of clichés that are insincere in view of the bad news.
All business messages demand attention to ethics and etiquette, of course, but these considerations take on special importance when you are delivering bad news—for several reasons:
First, 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. Second, negative messages can have a significant negative impact 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. Third, emotions often run high when negative messages are involved, for both the sender and the receiver. Senders need to manage their own emotions and consider the emotional state of their audiences.
The challenge of sending—and receiving—negative messages are
fosters a tendency to delay, downplay, or distort the bad news. Effectively sharing bad news within an organization requires commitment from everyone involved. Employees must commit to sending negative messages when necessary and to doing so in a timely fashion.
Describe successful strategies for sending negative messages on routine business matters.
Professionals and companies receive a wide variety of requests and proposals and cannot respond positively to every single one. 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.
Making Negative Announcements on Routine Business Matters
are written in response to requests from an internal or external party, but on occasion managers need to make unexpected announcements of a negative nature. Although such announcements happen in the normal course of business, they are generally unexpected and the indirect approach is usually the better choice
Follow the steps outlined for indirect messages:
Open with a buffer that establishes some mutual ground with the reader. Advance your reasoning and announce the change. Close with as much positive information and sentiment as appropriate under the circumstances.
Rejecting Suggestions and Proposals
Companies frequently receive a variety of suggestions and proposals, both solicited and unsolicited. For an unsolicited proposal from an external source, a response may not be required if there isn’t already a working relationship with the sender. However, if rejecting a solicited proposal, the sender deserves an explanation, and because the news will be unexpected, the direct approach is better.
Refusing Routine Requests
When unable to meet a request, the primary communication challenge is to give a clear negative response without generating negative feelings or damaging the relationship. The direct approach works best for most routine negative responses. The audience receives the response quickly and the sender can quickly move on to other business. The indirect approach works best when the stakes are high, when there’s an established relationship with the customer making the request, or when declining a request that the customer had expected a positive response to.
Consider the following points when developing routine negative messages:
Manage time carefully; focus on the most important relationships and requests. If the matter is closed, say so. Offer alternative ideas if possible, particularly if the relationship is important. Don’t imply that other assistance or information might be available if it isn’t.
Handling Bad News about Transactions
is always unwelcome and usually unexpected Some negative messages regarding transactions carry significant financial and legal ramifications. If no promises have been made to the customer, the message simply needs to inform the customer of the situation, with little or no emphasis on apologies. If promises have been made, attempt to reset those expectations and explain how the problem will be resolved; an apology would be a part of this message. The scope of the apology depends on the magnitude of the mistake. To help repair damage to a relationship and encourage repeat business, many companies offer some sort of unexpected benefit to the customer. This goes a long way to rebuilding a customer’s confidence.
When sending such messages, there are three goals:
Modify the customer’s expectations. Explain how you plan to resolve the situation. Repair whatever damage might have been done to the business relationship
Refusing Claims and Requests for Adjustment
Customers who make a claim or request an adjustment tend to be emotionally involved. Therefore, use the indirect approach. To avoid accepting responsibility for the unfortunate situation (and avoid blaming the customer), pay special attention to the tone of the letter. A tactful and courteous message can build goodwill even while denying the claim. When refusing a claim, avoid language that might have a negative impact on the reader and explain why the request is being refused. Control emotions and approach the situation as calmly as possible to avoid saying or writing anything that the recipient might interpret as defamation Keep in mind that nothing positive can come out of antagonizing a customer, even one who is verbally abusive. Reject the claim or request for adjustment in a professional manner and move on to the next challenge. End the message on a respectful and action-oriented note.
To avoid being accused of defamation, follow these guidelines:
Refrain from using any kind of abusive language or terms that could be considered defamatory. Provide accurate information and stick to the facts. Never let anger or malice motivate messages. Consult your company’s legal advisers whenever you think a message might have legal consequences. Communicate honestly. Emphasize a desire for a good relationship in the future.
List the important points to consider when conveying negative organizational news.
From time to time, managers must share, and respond to, negative information with the public at large. Most of these situations have unique challenges that must be addressed on a case-by-case basis, but the general advice offered below applies to all of them. One key difference among all these messages is whether there is a plan for the announcement
Communicating Under Normal Circumstances
Businesses must frequently convey a range of negative messages regarding their ongoing operations. In preparing those messages, take extra care to consider the audience and their unique needs. Negative situations will test the skills of any communicator or leader. Inspirational leaders try to seize such opportunities as a chance to reshape or reinvigorate the organization.
When making negative announcements, follow these guidelines:
Match your approach to the situation. Use the direct approach if the negative announcement is relatively inconsequential to the audience. However, if the stakes are high for the audience, build up to the news with the indirect approach. Consider the unique needs of each group. Various people have different information needs. Give each audience enough time to react as needed. Let customers know in advance of any major changes that may affect their way of doing business. Allow enough time to plan and manage a response. Complaints, questions, or product returns are likely after a negative announcement; be ready with answers and additional follow-up information. Look for positive angles but don’t exude false optimism. If there’s a positive angle, promote it. On the other hand, if it’s a traumatic event that can affect employees, their families, and their communities for years, don’t side-step the issues. Many significant negative announcements have important technical, financial, or legal elements that require the expertise of lawyers, accountants, or other specialists. Seek expert advice if you need it.
Communicating in a crisis
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. Although these events cannot be predicted, companies can prepare in advance. Companies that respond quickly with information tend to fare much better in the long run than those that go into hiding or release inconsistent or incorrect information. 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, including media contacts to news releases Clearly, specifies which people are authorized to speak for the company Provides contact information for all key executives Includes a list of the news outlets and social media tools that will be used to disseminate information
Describe successful strategies for sending negative employment-related messages.
Most managers must convey bad news about, or to, individual employees from time to time. Recipients have an emotional stake in these messages, so taking the indirect approach is usually advised. In addition, choosing the appropriate media for these messages is of key importance.
Refusing Requests for Employee References and Recommendation Letters
When sending refusals to prospective employers who have requested information about past employees, the message can be brief and direct. This message simply gives the reader all the information that is allowable by company policy. 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 a refusal. Therefore, this message must tactfully avoid hurting the reader’s feelings. A sound course of action is to make positive comments about the reader’s recent activities, imply a refusal to provide a recommendation, suggest an alternative, and use a polite close.
Refusing Social Networking Recommendation Requests
- are trickier to address in a social networking environment than in a traditional networking environment because the recommendations you make become part of your online profile
- allow everyone and anyone to see who’s been recommended and what’s been written about these people. Networks also make it easier to find people and request recommendations, so those requests may be more numerous than traditionally. The good news is, this allows more flexibility when it comes to responding to these requests. They can simply be ignored or deleted; some people make it personal policy to ignore requests from networkers they don’t know. Whether to meet the request is a personal decision and depends upon the relationship with the sender.
Another option is to refrain from making recommendations and let people know this policy when they ask. If choosing to make recommendations, write as much or as little information about
the person as is comfortable. This flexibility allows positive responses if there are mixed feelings about a person’s overall abilities.
Another option is to refrain from making recommendations and let people know this policy when they ask. If choosing to make recommendations, write as much or as little information about the person as is comfortable. This flexibility allows positive responses if there are mixed feelings about a person’s overall abilities.
Rejecting Job Applications
messages are routine communications, but saying no is never easy, and recipients are emotionally invested in the decision. Employment discrimination lawsuits are often looming in the minds of senior company executives. Of course, having fair and nondiscriminatory hiring practices is essential, so rejections must also be written in a way that doesn’t inadvertently suggest any hint of discrimination. The safest strategy is to avoid sharing any explanations for the company’s decision and to avoid making or implying any promises of future consideration.
The following strategies will help in keeping this type of message on track and effective:
Personalize the email message or letter by using the recipient’s name. Open with a courteous expression of appreciation for having applied. Convey the negative news politely and concisely. Avoid explaining why an applicant was rejected or why other applicants were chosen instead. 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.
The main purpose of a performance review is to improve employee performance by
Emphasizing and clarifying job requirements Giving employees feedback on their efforts toward fulfilling those requirements Guiding continued efforts by developing a plan of action, which includes rewards and opportunities
help companies set organizational standards and communicate organizational values. Documentation of performance problems can also protect a company from being sued for unlawful termination. Annual reviews often are a stressful occurrence for managers and workers alike. Information provided should not come as a surprise to the employee. Giving employees clear goals and regular feedback can help avoid unpleasant surprises. Even when goals have been agreed upon and employees have received feedback and coaching, managers will encounter situations in which an employee’s performance has not met expectations.
When a written negative review is required, keep the following points in mind:
Document performance problems. This information is useful in preparing an effective appraisal and supports any decisions that need to be made 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 with a calm, objective voice. The employee is not likely to welcome a negative assessment, but manage the emotions by maintaining professional reserve in writing and presentation. Focus on opportunities for improvement. Identify specific steps the employee can take to correct any shortfalls. This information can serve as the foundation for an improvement plan for the coming year. Keep job descriptions up to date. Performance evaluations should be based on the criteria listed in an employee’s job description. However, business needs change and employee roles often vary from one year to the next. Make sure that evaluations match current duties.
is difficult and negatively impacts both the employer and employee. Careful attention to content and tone can help the employee move on grace state all reasons for the termination accurately and make sure they are objectively verifiable.
Avoid questionable statements that might expose your company to a wrongful termination lawsuit. Consult company lawyers to clarify all terms of the separation. Deliver the letter in person if possible. End the relationship on terms as positive as possible.