opyright © 2012 Cengage Learning 8e BUSINESS COMMUNICATION In Person, In Print, Online Chapter 8 Bad-News Messages
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning
8e
BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONIn Person, In Print, Online
Chapter 8Bad-News Messages
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning
Bad-News Messages
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning
Bad-News Messages
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High Stakes in Communicating Bad News
UBS CEO Memo Following $2.3B Loss: "The buck stops with me"A 31-year-old rouge trader has caused close to $2.3 billion in losses for Swiss bank UBS. Unauthorized, speculative trades over three months apparently went unnoticed until the trader's recent arrest. UBS is expected to be able to absorb the hit, but Moody's is investigating the firm for a potential downgrade.
Link to the full story on the blog.
Video Example
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Revisiting the Colonnade: Delivering the Bad News
• What did the front desk agent do well in communicating the bad news to the guests?
• Could she have done anything to prevent the guest’s reaction?
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Revisiting the Colonnade: Delivering the Bad News
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Bad-News Messages
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Goals in Communicating Bad News
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What Is the Best Medium for the Message?
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
EmailEmail
Phone Call
Phone Call
LetterLetter
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What Is the Best Medium for the Message?
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
EmailEmail
Phone Call
LetterLetter
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What Is the Best Medium for the Message?
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
EmailEmail
Phone Call
Phone Call
LetterLetter
Firinga new
employee who works across the
country
Firinga new
employee who works across the
country
In-Person
Visit
Phone Call
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Examples | Planning | Replying | Announcing
What Is the Best Medium for the Message?
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
Canceling a contract with a long-time
supplier
EmailEmail
Phone Call
Phone Call
LetterLetter
Firinga new
employee who works across the
country
Firinga new
employee who works across the
country
In-Person
Visit
Phone Call
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Planning a Bad-News Message
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Organizational Plans for Bad News
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How to Use the Direct Plan
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How to Use the Indirect Plan
What are the four elements of a bad-news message that uses the indirect plan?
a. Bad news, apology, explanation, and close
b. Buffer, apology, bad news, and explanation
c. Buffer, explanation, bad news, and close
d. Bad news, alternative, apology, and close
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How to Use the Indirect Plan
What are the four elements of a bad-news message that uses the indirect plan?
a. Bad news, apology, explanation, and close
b. Buffer, apology, bad news, and explanation
c. Buffer, explanation, bad news, and close
d. Bad news, alternative, apology, and close
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Opening Buffer Statements
What is the goal of a buffer statement in a bad-news message?
a.To establish or strengthen the reader-writer relationship
b.To apologize for the bad news
c.To summarize the bad news
d.To hint at the bad news
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Opening Buffer Statements
What is the goal of a buffer statement in a bad-news message?
a.To establish or strengthen the reader-writer relationship
b.To apologize for the bad news
c.To summarize the bad news
d.To hint at the bad news
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Justifying Your Decision
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Giving the Bad News
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Closing on a Pleasant Note
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Bad-News Messages
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Rejecting an Idea
Think about a time when you presented an idea that was not accepted. How did the person respond? How did you feel?
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Refusing a Customer Request
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“United Breaks Guitars”
Watch Dave Carroll’s first video.
Watch the CNN news story.
Read the Harvard Business
case.
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Bad-News Messages
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Bad News about Normal Operations
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Yahoo!’s Layoff Plan
Look at the PPT slides
What is your reaction to Yahoo!’s PowerPoint slides for managers?
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Bank of America Will Cut 30,000 Jobs
Bank of America is cutting more jobs. Following the 6,000 jobs lost earlier this year, a $5 million investment by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and a management-team shake-up, the company will lose 30,000 jobs in attempt to scale down the largest bank in the country.
CEO Brian Moynihan has some explaining to do. The stock is down 48% this year, and the Bank is still paying for what some believe were poor acquisitions of Merrill Lynch and, particularly, Countrywide. BofA wins the dubious honor of having the largest number of cuts this year.
Link to the full story on the
blog.
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning
Additional Video Suggestions
Video Example
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“United Breaks Guitars”
• How did United go wrong in responding to the Dave Carroll?
• Why do you think his video and story became so popular? What are the implications for other companies?
Video Example
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Describing Layoffs in Up in the Air
• What is your reaction to Natalie’s “script” for communicating layoffs? Is this useful, unethical, or something else?
• What is your reaction to Ryan’s description of their purpose? Is this an effective analogy?