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Communicating Bad News Dr. Sneha Saxena

Communicating Bad News

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Communicating Bad News

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  • Communicating Bad NewsDr. Sneha Saxena

  • Overview

    What is bad news?Steps to convey bad newsDeveloping negative messagesRisks with indirect approaches to bad newsAdapt your message to your audienceDefamation: how to avoid it in negative messages?Role of communication in crisisCommunicating negative news to job applicants

  • What is Bad News? Bad news is any news that drastically and negatively alters the listeners view knowing about her or his future.

    News which is unpleasant for the recipient in some form-loss of finance, job, sale.

    In personal life it can be some disease which can take life. Doctors dilemma to deliver such news

  • Steps to convey bad newsFive main goals of negative messageGive the bad newsEnsure its acceptanceMaintain listeners/Readers goodwillMaintain organisation/professions good imageReduce future correspondence on the matter

    Three steps to convey bad news

    Step 1: Plan your message

    Step 2: Write your message

    Step 3: Complete your message

  • Step 1: Plan your message

    Bad news needs analysis, investigation and adaptation

    Analyse the situation in which news is to be delivered. -- Communicator should be clear of the purpose and consequence while communicating the message-straightforward/more complicated. (visualizing the audience profile)Identify and gather information your audience will need to understand and accept your message -- Negative message can be intensely personal to recipients and they have a right to explanation Selecting the right medium to communicate the negative message -- face to face interaction is necessary in cases of long term relationship

  • Step 2: Write your message

    Choose the medium with care when preparing negative messages

    Appropriate organisation helps the readers to accept your negative newsCommunication etiquette is very important-tone, type of word used-- Avoid you attitude that establishes blame in the sentenceUse positive rather than negative phrase in negative messagesNegative message can require more time to write than positive messages-words should not be open to multiple meanings or construct illogical paragraphs

  • Choosing Positive wordsAvoid a Negative toneI cannot understand what you meanThe damage wont be fixed for a weekThere will be a delay in your orderUnfortunately, we havent received itThe enclosed statement is wrongSorry for your inconvenienceUse a Positive TonePlease clarify your requestThe item will be prepared next weekWe will ship your order as soon as possibleIt hasnt arrived yet

    Please recheck the enclosed statement

    The enclosed coupon will save Rs. 250 next time.

  • Step 3: Complete your message

    Revise the content to make sure everything is clear, complete and concise-as even small flaws can be magnified as readers react to the negative news.

    simple design and layout is essential in written communication of the bad news.

    Proof reading is essential in negative messages moreNegative message should be delivered promptly and successfully

  • Developing negative messages

    Before organizing the main points of the message following should be clear:Choosing the best approach: when it is appropriate to use which one- -- Direct: When you come right out and tell somebody the bad new -- Indirect: When you try to soften your tone to reduce the impact of the bad newsVariation of cultures-internal and external audiencesMaintain high ethical standards

  • Direct and Indirect ApproachAsk yourself a few questions before you chose the approachWill the bad news come as a shock?-- Use direct approach when negative news will have minimal personal impactDoes the reader prefers short messages which is right to the point?-- Boss who prefers short messages-direct approach to deliver newsHow important is the news for the reader?-- Direct when there is transactional problems etc but where there is emotional investment and the consequence to the reader is considerable-indirect approachDo you need to maintain close working relationship with the reader?-- Indirect is better to save the good relationship

  • Direct and Indirect Approach contd.Do you need to get readers attention? -- Direct approach can get attention of the person ignoring other messagesWhat is your organization's preferred style?-- Communication style inherited from top management or founderHow much follow up communication do you want?-- To discourage response from reader-direct could be better

    Direct ApproachMakes shorter message possibleIt requires less time for the audience to reach the main idea of the message.

  • Using the approaches effectively Direct Approach

    Firmness is needed

    Readers wont be disappointed

    Situation is routine or minor

    Audience prefers bad news firstBad NewsReasons Positive Close

    Indirect Approach

    Audience will be displeased

    Audience will be emotionally involved BufferReasonsBad NewsPositive close

  • Direct Approach

    Open with a clear Statement of the Bad news-- Give the message in professional tone, without losing your calm and keep the focus of the news and not on the individual failures. -- Remind the reader why you are writing this messageExamples: Please modify or standing order from 3000 per month to 2500 per month from next shipment.XYZ is unable to grant your application for Birla Soft InsuranceIn spite of everyones best effort to close more sales, revenue fell 12 per cent last quarter as compared to the third quarter last year. Provide reasons and additional explanations--Explanations depends upon your relationship with the audienceClose on a Positive note--close in positive but still honest and respectful manner

  • Indirect ApproachOpen with a buffer-neutral, non-controversial statement Use indirect approach when some preparation will help your audience accept your bad newsIt establishes common ground with the readerProvide reasons and additional explanationsPhrase your reasons to signal the negative news aheadAvoid hiding behind company policy to cushion your bad newsWell written reasons are: detailed, tactful, individualized, unapologetic and positiveContinue with clear statement of bad newsTo handle bad news carefully-- De-emphasise the bad news visually and grammatically--Use conditional statement if appropriate--Tell what you did and not what you didnt do--Dont disguise the bad news when you emphasise the positive

  • Indirect Approach Contd.Close on a Positive Note--Builds goodwill--offers a suggestion for action--Provides a look forward toward the future

    While concluding use the following guidelines:Keep it positiveLimit future correspondenceBe optimist about the futureBe sincereBe confident

  • Adapting to your audienceCultural VariationsAdapt your message to the external and internal audiences--Keeping internal audience above the external audience--Need to adjust the message according to the different groups within the external audience

    Maintain High Standards of Ethics and Etiquette-- delaying the delivery of the negative news can be unethical in many situations- as human tendency is to delay, downplay or distort negative news-- Negative news situations can put your sense of self-control and business etiquette to test

  • Creating Negative MessagesChoose the Best ApproachUse Direct approach--when the audience is aware, --when reader is not emotionally involved in the message, -- when the reader prefers bad news first, -- when you know firmness is necessary and you want to discourage response.Use Indirect approach when the news is likely to come as a shock or surprise and you want to maintain good relationship with the audience.For an Indirect Approach, Open with an Effective BufferEstablish common ground with audienceValidate the request, if you are responding to requestDont underestimate the readers concernDont mislead the reader into thinking that the coming news might be positive

  • Creating Negative Messages Contd.C. Provide reasons and additional informationExplain why the news is negativeAdjust the amount of detail to fit the situations and the audienceAvoid explanations when the reasons are confidential, excessively complicated or irrelevant for readerIf appropriate, explain how you plan to correct or respond to the negative newsSeek the advice of company lawyers if you are unsure what to sayD. Clearly State the Bad newsState the bad news as clearly and positively as possible, using tactful wordsDe-emphasise the bad news by minimizing the space devoted to it, subordinating it, or embedding it.

  • Creating Negative Messages Contd.If your response might change in future if circumstances change, explain the condition to the readerEmphasise on what you can or have done rather than what you cant or wont do.

    E. Close on a Positive NoteExpress best wishes without being falsely positiveSuggest actions which readers might take, if required and provide them with necessary information.Encourage further communication only if you are willing to discuss the situation at a later stageKeep positive outlook on the future

  • Some examplesRefusing Routine RequestsHandling bad news about transactionsRefusing claims and requests for adjustments--Avoid defamation by not responding emotionallySending negative organizational news-- Communicating under normal circumstances -- communicating under crisisSending negative employment messages

  • Questions

    Straightforward-job rejectionComplicated-drafting negative performance review, give explanation and feedback regarding employees past performance.