Don T Rely Too Heavily on Official Or Company Policy

Don T Rely Too Heavily on Official Or Company Policy

SITUATION / POSSIBLE EXPLANATION BUFFERS / POSSIBLE EXPLANATION BUFFERS / POSSIBLE EXPRESSION OF BAD NEWS / POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
For a range of reasons, it is better to use indirect communication to share bad news:
  • Common courtesy and empathy. It is important to consider how a person will react to bad news, and to be considerate and thoughtful in how you communicate such information.
Tact and taking it personally. We tend to take most things personally, and this is particularly the case with bad news. Such situations call for considerable tact.
Maybe there is some good news. Merely because we cannot give the reader what he or she wants to hear at this time does not mean we cannot offer something. You should include this positive information in your letter if it is relevant and suitable. / A buffer of more positive words and ideas will help soften the blow of bad news. Opening buffers:
express appreciation
restate the situation
explore common areas of agreement
offer reasons or explanations
offer alternatives.
Buffers can be used separately as well as sequentially. They can also be combined in a variety of ways, depending on your style preferences. / Giving your personal reasons for saying no before actually saying it can help to soften the blow and create a context in which the refusal will seem more reasonable.
When giving explanations or reasons, consider the following guidelines:
  • Don’t rely too heavily on official or company policy.
  • Don’t use jargon and/or adopt an ‘in-house’ perspective.
  • Don’t make the explanation unnecessarily long.
  • Try to demonstrate some benefit of the policy.
/ Here are some techniques to help you with communicating bad news:
  • At a paragraph level, embed bad news in the central paragraph (the sandwich approach).
  • At a sentence level use the complex sentence technique — positioning bad news in a subordinate clause, and positive information in a main clause.
  • With your word choice, avoid ‘hot button’ words and euphemisms, and refer to groups or situations rather than individuals.
  • Use passive voice to convey bad news.
  • Use a subjunctive, rather than an indicative or imperative, writing style.
/ Wherever possible, you should choose plain English alternatives to euphemistic constructions when you communicate bad news in a letter.

Bad news content generator — an overview

Situation 1
  • A refusal of a request for credit or for an increase in credit.
/ Possible appreciation, reinstatement and agreement buffer:
‘Thank you for choosing to shop at Hellier’s.’ / Possible explanation buffer:
‘We feel that it is unfair and unwise to ask customers to commit more than 12 per cent of their income to account repayments.’ / Possible expression of bad news:
‘In these circumstances, we would be unable to offer you account facilities.’ / Possible alternatives:
  • Offer a lay-by or layaway scheme.
  • Offer discount for cash payment.
  • Suggest customer reapply when financial situation improves.

Situation 2
  • Someone has unsuccessfully applied for a job.
/ Possible appreciation, reinstatement and agreement buffer:
‘We are appreciative that you were interested enough to approach us.’ / Possible explanation buffer:
‘Your qualifications, experience and references, while impressive...’ / Possible expression of bad news:
‘do not match our requirements at this time.’ / Possible alternative:
  • Offer to keep application on file.

Bad news content generator —examples

POSSIBLE APPRECIATION, RESTATEMENT, AGREEMENT BUFFERS / POSSIBLE EXPLANATION BUFFERS / POSSIBLE EXPRESSION OF BAD NEWS / POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
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Bad news content generator — template

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