Exam 11: Writing Negative Messages

A crisis management plan should

Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the indirect approach.

Customers who make a claim or request an adjustment tend to be ________ involved; therefore, the indirect method is usually best for refusals.

The main purpose of a(n)________ review is to improve employee performance.

List at least three guidelines that can help you avoid being accused of defamation.

If you must give an employee a negative performance review,

Use direct statements such as I must refuse and We cannot allow to help your audience accept the bad news you are delivering.

What is a "buffer," and what function does it serve in negative messages?

Since termination letters are highly controversial, you should never deliver them in person.

The ________ section of a negative message using the indirect approach should lead readers to your conclusion before you come right out and say it.

If the stakes are high for you or your receiver, use an ________ to deliver negative information.

Rewrite the following negative message using positive words rather than negative ones: "Since you failed to send payment, we cannot ship your order."

An advantage of the direct approach for communicating bad news is that it keeps the message short.

The buffer for a negative message should be positive.

When evaluating employees, it is important to ________ performance problems carefully to support any decisions that need to be made about pay, promotions, or termination.

Employees are more likely to accept negative news if it is delivered in ________, rather than in writing.

Delivering bad news effectively requires special attention to ethics and ________.

When you are refusing a routine request from someone in an established relationship, you

Even when you are positive the person making a claim or request for adjustment is not telling the truth, it is vital to avoid saying or writing anything the recipient might interpret as ________. If you do not, you increase the likelihood that you and/or your company will be sued.

In a negative message using the indirect approach, an effective explanation section leads readers to your conclusion before you come right out and say it.