One-Minute Communications Tips Archive
March 2009

How to Deliver Bad News

Bad news can range from "the cafeteria will be closed next week" to employment termination. Whatever your topic, your goals are to have your message accepted and to retain the audience's goodwill. Here are some ways you can accomplish both.

Determine your medium. Letters and emails allow you to control your content. Phone calls and visits are suitable for situations that call for sensitivity.

Use the right style. Start with an explanatory sentence or two, then get to the bad news quickly. Don't keep your audience waiting. They've probably sensed what's coming.

Watch your words. Write "and" instead of "but" or "however." Use positive or neutral language, in the passive voice wherever appropriate.

Use the right tone. Be professional and respectful. Stay away from editorializing and personal remarks.

End on a positive note. Tell what you're doing to solve the problem or to help the medicine go down.
 

© Arun Sinha, Access Communications. Access Communications is a marketing communications and technical writing firm based in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Sign up for Access Communications's One-Minute Communication Tip at http://www.AccessConsultingInc.com. Once a month, you'll receive an actionable idea or technique on an aspect of business communications, distilled into about 150 words.

Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /homepages/15/d391948431/htdocs/communication-tip-archive/2009/deliver-bad-news.html on line 57

Warning: include(http://www.accessconsultinginc.com/communication-tip-archive/communication-tips-archive.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /homepages/15/d391948431/htdocs/communication-tip-archive/2009/deliver-bad-news.html on line 57

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.accessconsultinginc.com/communication-tip-archive/communication-tips-archive.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php5') in /homepages/15/d391948431/htdocs/communication-tip-archive/2009/deliver-bad-news.html on line 57