Duscussion

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Writing a Bad-News Message

The negative news message delivers news that the audience does not want to hear, read,

or receive. Delivering negative news is never easy. Whether you are informing someone

they are being laid off or providing constructive criticism on their job performance, how

you choose to deliver the message can influence its response (Bovee & Thill, 2010). Some

people prefer their bad news to be direct and concise. Others may prefer a less direct

approach. Regardless whether you determine a direct or indirect approach is warranted,

your job is to deliver news that you anticipate will be unwelcome, unwanted, and possibly

dismissed.

In this reading we will examine several scenarios that can be communicated internally

(within the organization) and externally (outside the organization), but recognize that the

lines can be blurred as communication flows outside and through an organization or

business. Internal and external communication environments often have a degree of

overlap. The rumor of anticipated layoffs may surface in the local media, and you may be

called upon to address the concern within the organization. In a similar way, a product

that has failed internal quality control tests will require several more tests and

improvements before it is ready for market, but if that information leaves the

organization, it can hurt the business’ reputation, prospects for future contracts, and the

company’s ability to secure financing.

Communication is constantly present, and our ability to manage, clarify, and guide

understanding is key to addressing challenges while maintaining trust and integrity with

employees, stakeholders, and the public.

There are seven goals to keep in mind when delivering negative news, in person or in

written form:

1. Be clear and concise in order not to require additional clarification.

Learning Resource

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2. Help the receiver understand and accept the news.

3. Maintain trust and respect for the business or organization and for the receiver.

4. Avoid legal liability or erroneous admission of guilt or culpability.

5. Maintain the relationship, even if a formal association is being terminated.

6. Reduce the anxiety associated with the negative news to increase comprehension.

7. Achieve the designated business outcome.

Let’s examine our first scenario:

You are a supervisor and have been given the task of discussing repeated tardiness with

an employee, Chris. Chris has frequently been late for work, and the problem has grown

worse over the last two weeks. The tardiness is impairing not only Chris’s performance

but also that of the entire work team. Your manager has instructed you to put an end to it.

The desired result is for Chris to stop his tardiness behavior and improve his performance.

You can

stop by Chris’s cubicle and simply say, “Get to work on time or you are out”,

invite Chris out to a nice lunch and let him have it,

write Chris a stern email, or

ask Chris to come to your office and discuss the behavior with him in private.

While there are many other ways you could choose to address the situation, let’s examine

each of these four alternatives in light of the goals to keep in mind when presenting

negative news.

First, you could approach Chris in his work space and speak to him directly. Advantages

include the ability to get right to the point right away. Disadvantages include the strain on

the supervisor-employee relationship as a result of the public display of criticism, the

possibility that Chris may not understand you, the lack of a formal discussion you can

document, and the risk that your actions may not bring about the desired results.

The goals include the desire to be clear and concise in order not to require additional

clarification. This possible response does not provide the opportunity for discussion,

feedback, or confirmation that Chris has clearly understood your concern. It fails to

address the performance concern and limits the correction to the tardiness. It fails to

demonstrate respect for all parties. The lack of tact apparent in the approach may reflect

negatively on you as the supervisor, not only with Chris but with your manager as well.

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When you need to speak to an employee about a personnel concern, it is always best to

do it in private. Give thought and concern to the conversation before it occurs, and make

a list of points to cover with specific information, including grievances. Like any other

speech, you may need to rehearse, particularly if this type of meeting is new to you.

When it comes time to have the discussion, issue the warning, back it up in writing with

documentation and don’t give the impression that you might change your decision.

Whether the issue at hand is a simple caution about tardiness or a more serious

conversation, you need to be fair and respectful, even if the other person has been less

than professional. Let’s examine the next alternative.

Let’s say you invite Chris to lunch at a nice restaurant. There is linen on the table,

silverware is present for more than the main course, and the water glasses have stems.

The environment says “good job” in its uniqueness, presentation, and luxury. Your word

will contradict this nonverbal message. The juxtaposition between the environment and

the verbal message will cause tension and confusion, which will probably be an obstacle

to the receiver’s ability to listen. If Chris doesn’t understand the message, and the

message requires clarification, your approach has failed. The contrast between the

restaurant setting and the negative message does not promote understanding and

acceptance of the bad news or correction. Furthermore, it does not build trust in the

relationship, as the restaurant invitation might be interpreted as a “trap” or a betrayal.

Let’s examine yet another approach.

You’ve written Chris a stern email. You’ve included a list of all the recent dates when he

was late and made several statements about the quality of his work. You’ve indicated he

needs to improve, and stop being late, or else. But was your email harassment? Could it be

considered beyond the scope of supervision and interpreted as mean or cruel? And do

you even know if Chris has received it? If there was no reply, do you know whether it

achieved its desired business outcome? A written message may certainly be part of the

desired approach, but how it is presented and delivered is as important as what it says.

Let’s examine our fourth approach to this scenario.

You ask Chris to join you in a private conversation. You start the conversation with an

expression of concern and an open-ended question: “Chris, I’ve been concerned about

your work lately. Is everything all right?” As Chris answers, you may demonstrate that you

are listening by nodding your head, and possibly taking notes. You may learn that Chris

has been having problems sleeping, or that his living situation has changed. Or Chris may

decline to share any issues, deny that anything is wrong, and ask why you are concerned.

You may then state that you’ve observed the chronic tardiness and name one or more

specific mistakes you have found in Chris’s work, ending with a reiteration that you are

concerned. This statement of concern may elicit more responses and open the

conversation up into a dialogue where you come to understand the situation, Chris sees

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your concern, and the relationship is preserved. Alternatively, in case the conversation

does not go well, you will still keep a positive attitude even as you document the meeting

and give Chris a verbal warning.

Regardless of how well or poorly the conversation goes, if Chris tells other employees

about it, they will take note of how you handled the situation and it will contribute to

their perception of you. It guides their expectations of how you operate and how to

communicate with you, as this interaction is not only about you and Chris. You represent

the company and its reputation, and your professional display of concern as you try to

learn more about the situation sends a positive message. While the private, respectful

meeting may not be the perfect solution, it is preferable to the other approaches we have

considered.

One additional point to consider as you document this interaction is the need to present

the warning in writing. You may elect to prepare a memo that outlines the information

concerning Chris’s performance and tardiness and have it ready should you want to

present it. If the session goes well, and you have the discretion to make a judgment call,

you may elect to give him another week to resolve the issue. Even if it goes well, you may

want to present the memo, as it documents the interaction and serves as evidence of due

process should Chris’s behavior fail to change, eventually resulting in the need for

termination.

This combined approach of a verbal and written message is increasingly the norm in

business communication. In the next two sections, we’ll compare and contrast

approaches, verbal and written, and outline several best practices in terms of approach.

But first, we’ll outline the four main parts of a negative news message:

1. buffer or cushion

2. explanation

3. negative news

4. redirect

The first part of a negative news message, verbal or written, involves neutral or positive

information. This sets the tone and often serves as a buffer or cushion for the information

to come. Next, an explanation discusses why there is an issue in the first place. This may

be relatively simple, quite complex, or uncomfortable. In a journal article titled “Further

Conceptualization of Explanations in Negative News Messages,” Mohan Limaye (1997)

made the clear case that not only is an explanation a necessary part of any negative news

message, it is an ethical and moral requirement. While an explanation is important, never

admit or imply responsibility without written authorization from your company cleared by

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legal counsel. The third part of the negative news message involves the bad news itself,

and the emphasis here is on clarity and accuracy. Finally, the redirect may refocus

attention on a solution strategy, an alternative, or the subsequent actions that will take

place. The table, "Negative News Message Sample Script," provides an example that might

apply in an external communication situation.

Negative News Message Sample Script

Parts

of the

Negati

ve News

Messa

ge Example

Buffer

or

Cushio

n

Thank you for your order. We appreciate your interest in our product.

Explan

ation

We are writing to let you know that this product has been unexpectedly

popular, with over 10,000 requests on the day you placed your order.

Negati

ve

News

This unexpected increase in demand has resulted in a temporary out-of-

stock/backorder situation. We will fulfill your order, received at 11:59

p.m. on 09/09/2009, in the order it was received.

Redire

ct

We anticipate that your product will ship next Monday. While you wait,

we encourage you to consider using the enclosed $5 off coupon toward

the purchase of any product in our catalog. We appreciate your business

and want you to know that our highest priority is your satisfaction.

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In "Negative News Message Sample Script," the neutral or positive news comes first and

introduces the customer to the overall topic. The explanation provides an indication of the

purpose of the communication, while the negative message directly addresses how it

affects the customer. The redirect discusses specific actions to take place. In this case, it

also includes a solution strategy enhanced with a soft-sell message, a subtle, low-pressure

method of selling, cross-selling, or advertising a product or service. Whether you are

delivering negative news in person or in writing, the four main parts of a negative

message can help you meet all seven goals.

Before we move to the verbal and written delivery of the negative news message, we

need to offer a word of counsel. You want to avoid legal problems when communicating

bad news. You cannot always predict how others are going to respond, but you can

prepare for and deliver your response in ways that lower the risk of litigation in four ways:

avoid abusive language or behavior

avoid contradictions and absolutes

avoid confusion or misinterpretation

maintain respect and privacy

Sarcasm, profanity, shouting, or abusive or derogatory language is an obstacle to clear

communication. Furthermore, such language can be interpreted as defamatory, or harming

the reputation of the person, possibly having a negative impact on their future earnings.

In written form, it is called libel. If you say it out loud, it is called slander. While slander

may be harder to prove, no defamatory remarks should be part of your negative news

message. Cell phones increasingly serve to record conversations, and you simply never

know if your words will come back to you in short order. Represent yourself, the business,

and the receiver of your message with professionalism and avoid abusive or defamatory

language.

You also want to avoid contradictions, as they only serve to invite debate. Make sure your

information is consistent and in agreement with the general information in the

conversation. If one part of the information stands out as a contradiction, its importance

will be magnified in the context and distract from your main message. Do not provide

more information than necessary. Polarizing, absolute terms like “always” and “never” are

often part of sweeping generalizations that are open to debate. Instead of saying, “You are

always late,” choose to say, “You were late 16 times in May.” To avoid confusion or

misinterpretation be precise and specific.

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Always maintain respect and privacy. Making a negative statement about an employee in

front of a group of coworkers can be considered ridicule or harm, and may be actionable

and involve legal ramifications. In addition to the legal responsibility, you have the overall

goal of demonstrating professionalism as you represent yourself and your company in

maintaining the relationship with the employee, even if the end goal is termination.

Employees have retaliated against their organizations in many ways, from discouraging

remarks to vandalism and computer viruses. Your goal is to avoid such behavior, not out of

fear, but out of professionalism and respect for yourself and your organization. Open lines

of communication present in a relationship can help reduce the risk of relational

deterioration or animosity.

Negative Message Checklist

1. clear goal in mind

2. clear instructions from supervisor (legal counsel)

3. clear understanding of message

4. clear understanding of audience/reader

5. clear understanding of procedure and protocol

6. clear, neutral opening

7. clear explanation without admission of guilt or culpability

8. clear statement of impact or negative news

9. clear redirect with no reminders of negative news

10. clear results with acceptance or action on negative news

Presenting Negative News in Person

Most of us dislike conflict. It may be tempting to avoid face-to-face interaction for fear of

confrontation, but delivering negative news in person can be quite effective, even

necessary, in many business situations. When considering a one-on-one meeting or a

large, formal meeting, consider the preparation and implementation of the discussion.

The first step involves a clear goal. Stephen Covey (1989) recommended beginning with

the end in mind. Do you want your negative news to inform, or to bring about change, and

if so, what kind of change and to what degree? A clear conceptualization of the goal

allows you to anticipate the possible responses, to plan ahead, and to get your emotional

“house” in order.

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Your emotional response to the news and the audience, whether it is one person or the

whole company, will set the tone for the entire interaction. You may feel frustrated, angry,

or hurt, but the display of these emotions is often more likely to make the problem worse

than to help solve it. Emotions can be contagious, and people will respond to the

emotional tone of the speaker.

If your response involves only one other person, a private, personal meeting is the best

option, but it may not be available. Increasingly people work and contribute to projects

from a distance, via the internet and may only know each other via email, phone, or video

conferencing services. Therefore, a personal meeting may be impractical or impossible.

How then does one deliver negative news in person? By the best option available to both

parties. Written feedback may be an option via email, but it takes time to prepare, send,

receive, process, and respond—and the written word has its disadvantages.

Miscommunication and misinterpretation can easily occur, with little opportunity for

constructive feedback to check meanings and clarify perceptions.

The telephone call allows both parties to hear each other’s voices, including the words,

the inflection, the disfluencies, and the emotional elements of conversation. It is

immediate in that the possibility of overlap is present, meaning not only is proximity in

terms of voice as close as possible, but both parties may experience overlaps as they take

turns and communicate. Telephone calls allow for quick feedback and clarification

questions and allow both parties an opportunity to recycle and revisit topics for

elaboration or a better understanding. They also can cover long distances with reasonable

clarity. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows you to do the same with relatively little

cost.

While there are distinct advantages, the telephone lacks part of the nonverbal spectrum

available to speakers in a live setting. On the telephone, proximity is a function of

response time rather than physical space and the degree to which one person is near

another. Time is also synchronous, though the telephone crosses time zones and changes

the context as one party may have just arrived at work while the other party is leaving for

lunch. Body language gets lost in the exchange as well, although many of us continue to

make hand gestures on the phone, even when our conversational partners cannot see us.

Paralanguage, or the sounds we hear that are not verbal, including pitch, tone, rate,

rhythm, pace, articulation, and pronunciation, are all available to the listener. As we can

see, the telephone call allows for a richer communication experience than written

communication, but cannot convey as much information as would be available in person.

Just as a telephone interview may be used for screening purposes while a live interview is

reserved for the final candidates, the live setting is often considered the best option for

delivering negative news.

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Live and in person may be the best option for direct communication with immediate

feedback. In a live setting, time is constant. The participants may schedule a breakfast

meeting, for example, mirroring schedules and rhythms. Live, face-to-face communication

comes in many forms. The casual exchange in the hallway, the conversation over coffee,

and the formal performance review meeting all have interpersonal communication in

common.

If you need to share the message with a larger audience, you may need to speak to a

group, or you might even have to make a public presentation or speech. If the speech

needs a feedback loop, we often call it a press conference, as the speech is followed by a

question and answer session. From meeting in the hallway to live, on-stage, under camera

lights and ready for questions, the personal delivery of negative news can be a challenging

task.

Presenting Negative News in Writing

Writing can be intrapersonal, between two people, group communication, public

communication, or even mass communication. One distinct advantage of presenting

negative news in writing is the planning and preparation that goes into the message,

making the initial communication more predictable. When a message is delivered orally in

an interpersonal setting, we may interrupt each other, we sometimes hear what we want

to, and it often takes negotiation and listening skills to grasp meaning. While a written

message, like all messages, is open to interpretation, the range of possibilities is narrowed

and presented within the frame and format designed by the source or author.

The written message involves verbal factors like language and word choice, but it can also

involve nonverbal factors like timing and presentation. Do you communicate the message

on letterhead, do you choose the channel of email over a hard copy letter, or do you

compose your written message in your best penmanship? Each choice communicates

meaning, and the choice of how you present your written message influences its

reception, interpretation, and the degree to which it is understood.

Let’s consider several scenarios of the written message that delivers negative news.

a community disaster such as illness (e.g., a swine flu epidemic), earthquake, wildfire,

plane crash, or a terrorism incident

an on-the-job accident with injuries or even death

a product defect resulting in injuries, illness, or even death to consumers

an unsuccessful product test (e.g., a new software system that isn’t going to be

ready for launch as planned)

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a company merger that may result in reductions in workforce or layoffs

In business communication, we often categorize our communication as internal or

external. Internal communication is the sharing and understanding of meaning between

individuals, departments, or representatives of the same business. External

communication is the sharing and understanding of meaning between individuals,

departments, or representatives of the business and parties outside the organization.

Across the five scenarios, we’ll consider each of these categories in turn.

The confirmation of swine flu (H1N1) may first occur with a laboratory report (itself a

written document), but it is normally preceded by conversations between health care

professionals concerned over the symptoms exhibited by patients, including a high fever, a

cough, sore throat, and a headache. According to Sally Redman, a registered nurse at

Student Health Services at Washington State University–Pullman, over 2,000 students (of

the 19,000 total student population) presented symptoms on or around August 21, 2009

(Yardley, 2009).

Communication will predictably occur among students, health care professionals, and the

community, but parents will want to know not only the status of their child but also of the

university. A written message that necessarily contains negative news may be written in

the form of a press release, for example, noting important information like the number of

students affected, the capacity of the health care system to respond, the experience to

date, and whom to contact for further details and updates. This message will be read over

and over as parents, reporters, and people across the country want to learn more about

the situation. Like all business communication, it needs to be clear and concise.

Our next scenario offers a learning opportunity as well. An on-the-job accident affects

employees and the company, and like our previous example, there will be considerable

interest. There may be interpersonal communication between company representatives

and the individual’s family, but the company will want to communicate a clear record of

the occurrence with an assurance, or statement that the contributing factors that gave

rise to the situation have been corrected or were beyond the control of the company and

its representatives.

In addition to a statement of record, and an assurance, the company will certainly want to

avoid the implication or indication of guilt or culpability. In the case of a product defect

resulting in injuries, illness, or even death to consumers, the implication of guilt or

culpability will be a relevant point of consideration. Perhaps a voluntary recall will be

ordered, proactively addressing the risk before an accident occurs. It may also be the case

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that the recall order is issued by a government agency. Again, a written statement

delivering negative news, in this case the recall of a product that presents a risk, must be

written with care and consultation of legal counsel.

If your company is publicly traded, the premature announcement of a software program

full of bugs, or programming errors that result in less than perfect performance, can send

the company’s stock price plummeting. How you release this information within the

organization will influence how it is received. If your written internal memo briefly states

that the software program development process has been extended to incorporate

additional improvements, the emphasis shifts from the negative to the positive. While the

negative news (the delay of release) remains, the focus on the benefits of the additional

time can influence employees’ views, and can make a difference in how the message is

received outside the organization.

The awareness of a merger, and the possibility of a reduction in workforce or layoffs, will

be discussed along the grapevine at work and will give rise to tension and anticipation of

negative news. You could simply write a short memo, “To All Employees,” not include any

contact information, and have an assistant walk around and place copies on everyone’s

chair or desk during the lunch hour. But let’s look at the message this would send to

employees. The written communication includes nonverbal aspects like timing and

presentation as well as verbal aspects like language and word choice. The timing itself

suggests avoidance of conflict, and a reluctance to address the issue with transparency.

The presentation of a memo in hard copy form on your chair from an unidentified

company representative will certainly cause confusion, may be mistaken for a prank, and

could cause considerable stress. It will contribute to increased tensions rather than

solidarity, and if trust is the foundation for all effective communication, it violates this

principle.

Negative news may not be easy to deliver, but it is necessary at times and should be done

with clarity and brevity. All parties should be clearly identified. The negative news itself

should be clear and concise. The presentation should be direct, with authority and

credibility. Communication occurs between people, and all humans experience concern,

fear, and trepidation of the unknown. The negative news message, while it may be

unwelcome, can bring light to an issue.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the section, some people prefer their bad news to

be direct and concise, while others prefer a less direct approach. Let’s weigh the pros and

cons of each approach. The table, "Direct and Indirect Delivery," contrasts the elements of

the two approaches.

Direct and Indirect Delivery

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Direct

Delivery Direct Example

Indirect

Deliver

y Indirect Example

Positive

introdu

ction

Thank you for your

request for leave.

Negative news

message as

introduction

Your request for leave

has been denied.

Negativ

e news

messag

e

We regret to inform you

that your request has

been denied.

Conclusion Please contact your

supervisor if you need

more information.

Conclus

ion

Please contact your

supervisor if you need

more information.

The direct approach places the negative news at the beginning of the message, while the

indirect approach packages the negative news between a positive introduction,

sometimes called a buffer or cushion, and a conclusion. Your negative message may

include the rationale or reasons for the decision.

The direct approach is often associated with a message where the audience values

brevity, and the message needs to be concise. A positive introduction often introduces the

topic, but not the outcome. An effective negative news statement clearly states the

message while limiting the possibility of misinterpretation. An effective closing statement

may provide reasons, reference a policy, or indicate a procedure to follow for more

information.

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Delivering negative news involves a buffer or cushion statement, an

explanation, the negative news itself, and a redirecting statement.

Whether you choose a direct or an indirect approach, the message

should be delivered clearly and concisely, with respect for the receiver

and the organization.

References

Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (2010). Business communication essentials: A skills-based approach

to vital business English (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Covey, S. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon &

Schuster.

Limaye, M. R. (1997, June 1). Further conceptualization of explanation in negative

messages. Business Communication Quarterly, 60(2), 38–50.

Yardley, W. (2009, September 6). 2,000 Washington state students report signs of swine

flu. The New York Times. Retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/health/06flu.html?_r=1

Licenses and Attributions

Chapter 17: Negative News and Crisis Communication

(https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_business-communication-for-success/s21-negative-

news-and-crisis-commu.html) from Business Communication for Success was adapted

by Saylor Academy and is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-

NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-

sa/3.0/) license without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or

licensor. UMGC has modified this work and it is available under the original license.

© 2022 University of Maryland Global Campus

All links to external sites were verified at the time of publication. UMGC is not responsible for the validity or integrity

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Key Points