Delivering Bad News

1. Dr. Beatty ENG 301 Delivering Bad News

2. Bad News • Inductive Approach • Why? • Listen • Prep • Avoid • De-emphasize • Positive/Ongoing

3. Exceptions to Inductive Approach • Repeated Response • Insignificant • R.I.I.U. • Authority • Longstanding, good relationship

4. Inductive Approach: The Opening • Neutral Statement Example: Your application was reviewed separately by two loan officers. Example: You are to be commended for your commitment to restore Naperville’s historical downtown shopping district.

5. Good Opener or Bad Opener? • Our company has thrived by taking advantage of international business opportunities. • Effective March 3, we will relocate our plant to Franklin, Tennessee.

6. Your Turn: Opening Sentence • Situation 1: Someone else has been selected for the promotion. • Situation 2:The proposal for a new employee recreation center has been turned down.

7. Inductive Approach: The Body • Facts, Analysis, Reasons • Bad News • Positive tone • De-emphasis techniques • Alternative • Your Turn: Someone else chosen for promotion

8. Good or Bad? • The success of this project depends upon a good project director. • Creating an employee computer lounge would be a complex and expensive project due to a lack of available space and funding for additional computers.

9. Good Buffer or Bad Buffer? • The HighFly skis you stocked this past season are skillfully crafted and made from the most innovative materials available. • Your message questioning the re-stocking charge on your statement has been received.

10. Good Buffer or Bad Buffer? • Our refund policies provide you the opportunity to keep a fully stocked inventory at the lowest possible cost. • Each of the order forms you have completed states that the returns are subject to a 15% restocking charge.

11. Bad News Delivered Well • You receive full refunds for merchandise returned within 10 days of receipt. For unsold merchandise returned after the primary selling season, a modest 15 percent restocking fee is charged to cover our costs of holding this merchandise until next season.

12. Exit: Looking to Future • While relaxing from another great skiing season, take a look at our new HighFly skis and other items available in the enclosed catalog for next season. You can save 10 percent by ordering premium products before May 10th.

13. Exit: Presenting an Alternative • Although our current personnel shortage prevents us from lending you an executive, we do want to support your worthy project. Kevin Denny, our VP of Marketing, has a keen interest in historical preservation, having served on a very similar project in Vermont. He would be happy to share his experience; you can contact him at 555-8712.

14. Your Turn: Constructive Criticism • Situation: Julie Simmons, the IT specialist for the consulting firm you’ve hired is constantly accepting text messages even when in project meetings. People have to continually repeat things to her because she is distracted and not paying attention in our meetings. She is extremely knowledgeable and has good ideas, but it is very frustrating to work with her. • Audience: Consulting firm • Purpose: Informative

15. Example • Format? • Decision Factors: • Internal vs. External • Formal vs. Informal • Example