David RobinsonIn part, © David Robinson, 2010

faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/robinson/ugba100

Haas School of BusinessHaas School of Business

ugba-100Business Communication

Lecture 9: Communicating Bad News

Communicating Bad News

• Types of bad news

• The order of ideas is crucial

• Some conventions with Bad News

• Presenting Bad News

Types of bad news in business

• Firings and layoffs• Project abandonment• Unable to meet a customer request

• Why is this “bad news?”

• Price raises• Diminution of benefits

Three important tips for bad news

1. Learn to recognize “bad news” situations

• “Is this a bad news situation?”

2. Begin with the end in mind• What do you want to accomplish?• What do you want to avoid?

3. Pay attention to the order of ideas

The order of ideas

• Don’t “hit them between the eyes”…– People may not read the rest of your message

• …but don’t use the “Point Last” format either– If you beat around the bush, your reader may miss

the “news”

Bad news conventions (1 of 2): Message structure

1. Begin with a quick, soft leadAcknowledge a request or effort, indicate careful consideration

2. Lay out the bad newsBe absolutely clear

3. Provide some justification or explanation• Appeal to reasonableness, fairness, common sense

4. Attempt mitigation, amelioration, or softening the blow but not “doing and undoing”

This is important

Bad news conventions (2 of 2): Message content

• Tone should be respectful to warm

• Never punitive or blaming• Even when the customer was probably at fault

• Acknowledge inconvenience, disappointment

• But don’t over-apologize

Presenting Bad News

• Balance a harbinger of the bad news (a “leak”) with creating fear and panic

• Most-likely: Don’t hide behind PowerPoint

• Be absolutely truthful and clear“The Spring Formal has been cancelled”

Lecture summary

1. Learn to recognize “bad news” situations

2. Understand the conventions for bad news communications