CMN 279 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Plaintext
9 Mar 2018
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Sooner or later, we all need to deliver bad news. Refusals (turning down applicants, invitations, proposals, bids, employment, credit) Announcements (cancellation of services, price increases, policy changes, layoffs) Assessments/appraisals (reporting poor employee performance, warnings, personnel issues) Bad news must be written to deliver a clear message, maintain goodwill, and prevent a hostile response. Deliver news clearly so that it can"t be misinterpreted. Eliminate need for clarification, repetition or further contact. Be sensitive to the reader"s potential response. Be prompt, accountable and thoughtful about the decision. Aim for a neutral tone, it helps avoid a defensive response. Don"t make assumptions (e. g. i"m sure you can understand/sympathize) Avoid opinion (e. g. i personally thought you were great) Don"t excessively apologize or use a weak tone (e. g. i"m so sorry, please forgive me) Don"t open with expressions of sympathy that hint a bad news to come (e. g. we regret to inform you)
