8.3.2 Indirect Approach
If we are brash in creating and delivering bad news, we run the risk of being rejected by our audience. They may be angry or sad and not inclined to rationally process the explanation or instructions for what to do about the bad news. A doctor would not generally deliver a serious diagnosis by coming right out and stating that somebody has a terminal illness. Instead, the doctor would ease into the conversation by discussing test results then giving the diagnosis and proposing treatment options, and only then come around to telling the patient the bad news. At that point, being clear about the bad news ensures that the receiver understands the gravity of the situation and is therefore motivated to follow through on the therapeutic recommendations given earlier.
You may want to use an indirect approach if
- The information will be shocking and unpleasant.
- The situation is serious and life changing.
- You are not sure about the receiver’s reaction.
The key to avoiding misunderstandings when delivering bad news, then, is the following four-part organization shown in Table 8.1.
|
Section |
Explanation |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Buffer |
Buffer: Stay formal but approachable. Build a common ground and explain reason behind the letter (acknowledge the request). Personalize by using “we.” |
As a business, we pride ourselves in creating organized databases from business files that may improve the quality of work and efficiency. Thank you for continuously selecting Lab USA over the years. We have received your request for a team for ATC badging at the DFW Airport. |
|
Reason/Standard procedures |
Reason: Share details of what lead to the upcoming decision. Do not over personalize here- only share overall information about the regulations, guidelines, policies in place etc. Explain expectations in general without pointing fingers at the reader or oversharing information. |
The U.S. Department of Transportation states that to be qualified as a DBE the firm must be a small business as defined by SBA standards. This means that the firm must not have annual gross receipts over $22,410,000 in the previous three fiscal years and be 51% owned by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual. |
|
Clear statement of Bad News
|
Clearly state the bad news in an indirect way. Avoid pitying or ingenuine apology to the reader. Use third person if appropriate. |
Due to the information listed above, at this time the request to expand highway 161 has been denied. |
|
Positive close |
Close in a positive manner: End with positive information and a hopeful future. Do not restate the negative news. Focus on helping the reader move forward and establish goodwill for your company. |
We will continue to update you via email each week. Thank you for being a valuable customer. We look forward to doing business with you in the upcoming months. |
Examples
Here is an example of an indirect bad-news letter:
Thank you for your interest in the Lab Director position. We were happy to meet you in person, and we appreciated your time and dedication towards the Lab industry.
During that phase, we interviewed twelve people, from the overall application pool of 295 for this position, many of whom had both an appropriate education and multiple years of experience in similar positions. Each applicant went through three levels of interviews that involved an interview panel of six employees.
At this time, another applicant was hired for the position due to their extensive experience in the field.
However, we were impressed with your skills, and we encourage you to apply again for appropriate openings which will be advertised within the next two months. Thank you again for your interest in LabWorks company.
Offering details about just how far this applicant proceeded in the search helps the applicant prepare for the bad news coming in the third paragraph, since it lets the applicant know that she progressed relatively far in the process. This message ends on a positive note. The communicator in this case is genuinely encouraging the applicant. It is important to know, though, that you should not be inaccurate and provide false information, if it is not really the case, as that is a breach of ethics. An appropriate alternative ending if there is no genuine interest in the applicant would be to replace the last two sentences with a polite “Thank you for considering XYZ company. We wish you well in your future endeavors.”
This section is derived from the following sources:
“Negative Messages” in Communication@Work Copyright © 2019 by Jordan Smith, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
“Bad News” available at Communication for Professionals by Susan Oaks, licensed under CC BYNC: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International, unless otherwise noted.
