CHAPTER 8
WRITING NEGATIVE
MESSAGES
• Multiple Choice
1. If you have to say no, you should always
a. try to gain the audience’s acceptance of your
decision.
b.deliver it directly.
c. pull back from communicating.
d.all of the above
2. When planning your negative message, you
should
a. gather the information your audience will need to
understand and accept your message.
b.select your medium carefully.
c. acknowledge the probability of a negative
audience reaction.
d.all of the above.
• Multiple Choice
1. If you have to say no, you should always
a.
b.
c.
d.
try to gain the audience’s acceptance of your decision.
deliver it directly.
pull back from communicating.
all of the above
• ANSWER: a. This is an important goal in negative messages.
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 172; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. When planning your negative message, you should
a. gather the information your audience will need to understand and
accept your message.
b. select your medium carefully.
c. acknowledge the probability of a negative audience reaction.
d. all of the above.
• ANSWER: d. When planning your message carefully analyze
the situation; determine how to best approach your audience.
How will the audience be likely to respond?
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 172; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. When delivering bad news, you want to
accomplish all of the following goals except
a. to convey the bad news.
b. to encourage questions and correspondence from
the reader.
c. to gain acceptance for the bad news.
d. to maintain a good image for your organization.
2. When conveying negative news it is important
to always
a.
b.
c.
d.
maintain goodwill with your audience.
use an indirect approach.
convey the bad news directly.
avoid acknowledging any emotional issues.
1.
When delivering bad news, you want to accomplish all of the
following goals except
a.
b.
c.
d.
•
•
1.
ANSWER: b. You want to reduce or eliminate the need for further
correspondence on the matter.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 172; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
When conveying negative news it is important to always
a.
b.
c.
d.
•
•
to convey the bad news.
to encourage questions and correspondence from the reader.
to gain acceptance for the bad news.
to maintain a good image for your organization.
maintain goodwill with your audience.
use an indirect approach.
convey the bad news directly.
avoid acknowledging any emotional issues.
ANSWER: a. Your tone helps your readers accept that your
bad news represents a firm and fair decision. It also helps
the readers preserve their pride.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 173; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. ______ By implying the bad news,
you may not actually need to state it.
2. ______ In the close of a bad-news
message, you should be realistic and
acknowledge the probability of future
problems.
3. _______ The close of a negative
message should offer to answer
additional questions and provide
further answers if needed.
•
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•
•
•
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______ By implying the bad news, you may not actually
need to state it.
ANSWER: True. It is vital, however, to make sure your
audience understands the entire message—including the
bad news.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 178; OBJECTIVE: 2; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
______ In the close of a bad-news message, you should be
realistic and acknowledge the probability of future
problems.
ANSWER: False. You should be optimistic; avoid
statements such as, “should you have further problems…”
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 178; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
application; AACSB: Communication
_______ The close of a negative message should offer to
answer additional questions and provide further answers if
needed.
ANSWER: False. In most cases you do not want to
encourage additional communication.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 178; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
• Fill-in the Blank
1.In negative messages, it is important to
maintain a good ______ for your
organization.
2.When a negative message gives the bad
news in the opening paragraph, the writer
is using the ______ approach.
3.When using the indirect approach to
deliver bad news, you should open with a
neutral, noncontroversial statement called
a(n) ______.
• Fill-in the Blank
1. In negative messages, it is important to maintain a good ______
for your organization.
• ANSWER: Image
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 172; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. When a negative message gives the bad news in the opening
paragraph, the writer is using the ______ approach.
• ANSWER: Direct
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 174; OBJECTIVE: 2; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. When using the indirect approach to deliver bad news, you should
open with a neutral, noncontroversial statement called a(n)
______.
• ANSWER: Buffer
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 176; OBJECTIVE: 2; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
• Short Answer/Essay
1. What are the five main goals when delivering negative news in
business?
• ANSWER: The goals are: 1) to convey the bad news 2) to gain
acceptance for it 3) to maintain as much goodwill as possible
with your audience 4) to maintain a good image for your
organization 5) if appropriate, to reduce or eliminate the need
for future correspondence on the matter.
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGES: 172; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
1. What are the three main steps you should take in planning a badnews message?
• ANSWER: The steps are: 1) Gather the information your
audience will need in order to understand and accept your
message, 2) select the appropriate medium to deliver the
message, and 3) choose the direct or the indirect approach to
organize your message.
• DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGES: 172-173; OBJECTIVE: 1; TYPE:
concept; AACSB: Communication
•
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Rewrite the following sentence using more positive
words: “We don’t have that color in stock.”
ANSWER: (Answers may vary.) We can custom
order that color and have it here for you by Friday.
DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGE: 173; OBJECTIVE: 1;
TYPE: application; AACSB: Communication, Analytic
Skills
Rewrite the following phrase using positive words
rather than negative ones.
“I’m sorry, but we’ll have to turn down your bid.”
ANSWER: (Answers may vary.) We’ve accepted
another company’s bid.
DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 173; OBJECTIVE: 1;
TYPE: application; AACSB: Communication, Analytic
Skills
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List and briefly describe the five guidelines for giving
negative performance reviews.
ANSWER: 1) Confront the problem right away.
Avoiding problems only makes them worse. 2)
Plan your message. Be clear about your concerns
and include examples of the employee’s specific
actions. 3) Deliver the message in private. Don’t
send performance reviews via e-mail. 4) Focus on
the problem. Don’t attack the employee. Compare
employee performance with what’s expected, with
company goals, or with job requirements. 5) Ask
for a commitment from the employee. Help the
employee understand that planning for and
making improvements are the employee’s
responsibility. Set a schedule for improvement.
DIFFICULTY: difficult; PAGES: 184-186; OBJECTIVE:
1; TYPE: concept; AACSB: Communication