11: Writing Negative Messages 11-1
Chapter 11: Writing Negative Messages
This chapter continues the discussion of brief message types with a look at negative (“bad–news”)
messages. Students will get practice with both the direct and indirect approaches in a variety of specific
message scenarios. A particular point of emphasis in this chapter is helping students understand that
negative messages don’t have to be—and in fact should not be—delivered in a negative way. By
maintaining a focus on ethics, etiquette, and audience needs, bad news can be delivered in ways that are
sensitive and professional while still being effective.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Negatives Messages
Step 1: Planning a Negative Message
Step 2: Writing a Negative Message
Step 3: Completing a Negative Message
Using the Direct Approach for Negative Messages
Opening with a Clear Statement of the Bad News
Providing Reasons and Additional Information
Closing on a Respectful Note
Using the Indirect Approach for Negative Messages
Opening with a Buffer
Providing Reasons and Additional Information
Continuing with a Clear Statement of the Bad News
Closing on a Respectful Note
Maintaining High Standards of Ethics and Etiquette
Sending Negative Messages on Routine Business Matters
Making Negative Announcements on Routine Business Matters
Rejecting Suggestions and Proposals
Refusing Routine Requests
Handling Bad News About Transactions
Refusing Claims and Requests for Adjustment
Sending Negative Organizational News
Communicating Under Normal Circumstances
Responding to Negative Information in a Social Media Environment
Communicating in a Crisis
Sending Negative Employment Messages
Refusing Requests for Employee References and Recommendation Letters
Refusing Social Networking Recommendation Requests
Rejecting Job Applications
Giving Negative Performance Reviews
Terminating Employment
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-2
Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students
can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more
information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.
LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Negatives Messages
Learning Objective 1: Apply the three-step writing process to negative messages.
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.
Step 1: Planning a Negative Message
In order to minimize any possible damage to business relationships and to encourage the acceptance
of your message, carefully consider the context in which the reader will receive the message.
Develop a clear purpose and identify the audience’s needs.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-3
A negative message using the direct approach:
• Opens with the bad news
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 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.
Class discussion question: How do you feel when someone delivers bad news to you in a way that is
disrespectful, confusing, vague, timid, or deceitful? How does this compare to getting bad news from
someone who treats you with respect and communicates in clear, straightforward way?
Step 2: Writing a Negative Message
When preparing a negative message, pay close attention to effectiveness, sensitivity, and diplomacy.
Cultural and organizational differences that may play a role in how the reader interprets the message.
Negative messages to outside audiences require attention to the diverse nature of the audience and the
concern for confidentiality of internal information.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-4
Step 3: Completing a Negative Message
Pay careful attention to details in completing a negative message.
Make sure the 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.
Section 2: Using the Direct Approach for Negative Messages
Learning Objective 2: Explain how to use the direct approach effectively when conveying negative news.
The direct approach with negative messages 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
Follow the direct opening with an explanation of why the news is negative. The extent of the
explanation depends on the nature of the news and the 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, if appropriate.
Should you 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.
Creating an effective apology involves four key decisions:
• The apology should be delivered by someone whose position in the organization corresponds
with the gravity of the situation.
• The apology needs to be a real apology. Don’t say “I’m sorry if anyone was offended.” The
conditional if implies that you’re not sorry at all and it’s the other party’s fault for being
offended.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-5
• Apologies need to be delivered quickly, particularly in the social media age. A fast response
makes the message more meaningful to the affected parties, and it helps the company
maintain some control over the story, rather than reacting to social media outrage.
• Media and channel choices are crucial; the right choice can range from a private conversation
to a written message posted or distributed online to a public press conference.
Note that you can express sympathy with someone’s plight and demonstrate sensitivity, without
accepting blame.
Class discussion question: Have you ever had difficulty accepting an apology from an individual or
organization? If so, why? Did you question whether the other party was truly sorry or perhaps was
apologizing only to deflect attention from a mistake? What can you learn from this that you can apply to
your communication efforts when you need to make an apology on the job?
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:
An important aspect of a respectful close is describing the actions being taken to avoid similar
mistakes in the future.
Section 3: Using the Indirect Approach for Negative Messages
Learning Objective 3: Explain how to use the indirect approach effectively when conveying negative
news.
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.
Opening with a Buffer
Messages using the indirect approach open with a buffer, a neutral, noncontroversial statement that:
The buffer must be honest and sincere:
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-6
• Do not use a buffer as a means to avoid the negative news to come or to suggest a positive
outcome for the reader.
• Make sure it provides a smooth transition to the reasons that follow.
Providing Reasons and Additional Information
An ideal explanation section leads readers to the conclusion before they actually get there, so that the
negative news doesn’t come as a shock.
Give reasons effectively by maintaining the focus on the issues at hand and defusing the emotions
that generally accompany significantly bad news.
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:
• As detailed as the situation demands
• Tactful
Continuing with a Clear Statement of the Bad News
After the 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.
First, deemphasize the bad news:
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-7
Second, if appropriate, use a conditional (if or when) statement to imply that the audience could have
received, or might someday receive, a favorable answer. However, you must avoid any suggestion
that you might reverse the decision if this isn’t true.
Third, 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.
Be sure to avoid overly blunt statements that are likely to cause pain and anger.
Closing on a Respectful Note
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.
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.
Keep in mind that the close 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.
Section 4: Maintaining High Standards of Ethics and Etiquette
Learning Objective 4: Explain the importance of maintaining high standards of ethics and etiquette when
delivering negative messages.
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.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-8
The challenge of sending—and receiving—negative messages can tempt writers to delay, downplay, or
distort the bad news. However, you have an ethical obligation—and often a legal obligation—to share bad
news as soon as possible.
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.
• Employees who observe unethical or illegal behavior within their companies and are unable to
resolve the problems through normal channels may have no choice but to resort to
whistleblowing.
Section 5: Sending Negative Messages on Routine Business Matters
Learning Objective 5: 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.
Making Negative Announcements on Routine Business Matters
Many negative messages 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:
11: Writing Negative Messages 11-9
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:
Handling Bad News about Transactions
Bad news about transactions is always unwelcome and usually unexpected. 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.
Some negative messages regarding transactions carry significant financial and legal ramifications:
To help repair damage to a relationship and encourage repeat business, many companies offer some
sort of unexpected benefit to the customer as a way to rebuild the customer’s confidence.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–10
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.
To avoid being accused of defamation, follow these guidelines:
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 note.
Section 6: Sending Negative Organizational News
Learning Objective 6: 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.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–11
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.
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.
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.
Responding to Negative Information in a Social Media Environment
For all the benefits they bring to business, social media and other communication technologies have
created a major new challenge: responding to online rumors, false information, and attacks on a
company’s reputation.
Customers now have tremendous leverage via social media. False rumors and unfair attacks can
quickly overwhelm a company.
These four steps will help a company manage its reputation in this new environment:
• Engage early and engage often; you should be in regular contact with your stakeholders
before a crisis hits.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–12
Class discussion question: Should a company ever counterattack when its reputation is being challenged
online? For example, should a company try to undermine the credibility of people who are complaining
about it in social media? Why or why not?
Communicating in a Crisis
Some of the most critical instances of business communication occur during crises:
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:
Section 7: Sending Negative Employment Messages
Learning Objective 7: 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.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–13
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
Recommendations 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.
Networks also make it easier to find people and request recommendations, so you may get hit with a
lot of requests for recommendations for requests as your network expands.
Fortunately, social networks allow more flexibility when it comes to responding to these requests:
Rejecting Job Applications
Application rejection messages are routine communications, but they can be challenging, for three
reasons:
• Saying no is never easy.
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 message by using the recipient’s name.
• Open with a courteous expression of appreciation for having applied.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–14
Giving Negative Performance Reviews
The main purpose of a performance review is to improve employee performance by:
• Emphasizing and clarifying job requirements
Performance reviews help companies set 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.
Some companies have dropped annual reviews in favor of more frequent status reports.
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.
Terminating Employment
Any termination is difficult and negatively impacts both the employer and employee.
Careful attention to content and tone can help the employee move on gracefully and minimize
misunderstandings and anger that can lead to expensive lawsuits.
In the termination process, 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.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–15
HIGHLIGHT BOX: ETHICS DETECTIVE
Solving the Case of the Deceptive Soft Sell
Since we can’t be sure if the CEO knew when the layoffs were going to come, we can’t be certain if the
CEO’s actions were ethical or not; however, upon reviewing the message, it does seem that the CEO was
a bit misleading. The statement “We remain confident in the company’s fundamental business strategy”
COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT HAILO
Individual Challenge
Here is a possible response:
It sounds like you’re really in a crunch and I completely understand, since we’re experiencing similar
pressure here. I can’t spare anyone at this point, but if you’d like I’d be happy to share some tips on
the project management approach we’ve been using to stay on schedule with our existing resources.
Team Challenge
Here is a possible buffer to use for the message:
Hi —
Great to hear from you. I’m always interested in how your career is coming along.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
11.1. You should adapt your medium and your tone to the audience’s needs and preferences in order to
11.2. You should avoid offering explanations in negative messages when that information is
Copyright © 2018 Bovée and Thill LLC
11.15. When deciding how to respond to a recommendation request from someone whose work and
skills you don’t remember, keep in mind that any recommendations you make become part of
your profile and reflect on you. If you have made other recommendations on LinkedIn, you won’t
be able to explain to this former colleague that you don’t make recommendations. One possible
PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
11.16. Message 11.A Sending Negative Organizational News
This message is going to top executives who need clear, concise information, so use the direct approach.
Open with a statement of mutual agreement. Get right to the bad news, but let it lead smoothly into your
positive focus on cost saving. Appeal to your readers’ company loyalty, leaving job preservation as an
unspoken benefit. Use bulleted lists and close with a positive look to the future.
• Consider using B&D’s videoconferencing equipment instead of booking a flight.
• Give us plenty of lead-time, and we’ll use our influence to negotiate lower rates at your
favorite hotels or to find less expensive but equally appealing alternatives.
11: Writing Negative Messages 11–19
Copyright © 2018 Bovée and Thill LLC
• Let us know if you frequently visit the same location, which will give us a negotiating edge
with hotels, based on your repeat business.
During your trip:
Please share any other ideas you have for travel savings. We’ll pass them along. By working together,
we should be able to accomplish our travel and meeting objectives this year without undue hardship,
while helping Black & Decker meet its profit goals.
Sincerely,
M. Juhasz, Travel & Meeting Services
[LO-6] AACSB: Written and oral communication
11.17. Message 11.B: Refusing Requests for Claims and Adjustments
This letter is not audience-centered, and emphasizes the negative rather than the positive. It suffers from
these additional problems:
• The letter fails to thank the reader for writing, and the writer sounds irritated that the reader asked
for an adjustment.
Here’s a revised version:
Thank you for contacting us about issues you have encountered with your WM39Z wireless hub. We
would be pleased to repair it under the terms of the warranty. Please deliver or send the damaged
