CH 6
To soften the impact of the bad news, what type of information can be included in the message?
A hidden benefit of the delay
If you think the recipient will not be offended, what format is best for turning down an invitation or request?
Direct
What can be done to soften unexpected bad news?
It can be placed later in the message.
If a company must share bad news quickly with the public, which of the following would be an appropriate way to accomplish this?
Websites
Both the direct and indirect organization methods of bad news should start with __________.
a buffer
Some people believe that apologies are dangerous because __________.
they put a business in a defensive position that could imply legal liability
Why are performance problems best handled in face-to-face meetings?
Face-to-face meetings allow for discussion
Which of the following approaches is most likely to be appropriate for closing a bad-news message?
Focus on a benefit
When crafting an apology, what corporate strategy should be employed?
explain the company's remedial measures to correct the problem
If you phrase bad news _________, your audience is more likely to understand your message.
in clear terms
Bad news or bad publicity ____________.
needs to be controlled
What is the best way to ensure the audience understands the bad news?
state the bad news clearly
One of the four goals of delivering bad news is to ___________.
state the news clearly, yet sensitively
When positioning the bad news in a letter, which of the following would ease the impact of the bad news?
subordinate the bad news
When using ACE for bad-news messages, which of the following should be considered during the composing stage of the process?
How can I close the message appropriately?
Which of the following questions should be considered when determining the correct medium for bad-news message?
How quickly do you need to share the information?
Like other bad news communications, delivering bad news to a vendor requires balancing ____________.
a clear statement of the bad news with positive statements of goodwill
When using an indirect approach to a bad-news message, what information is included before the main idea?
an explanation
Apologizing for mistakes in a bad news business message ________.
can have a positive effect
When evaluating a message, the message should be __________.
clear, easy to understand, and honest
Before _____________ a bad-news message, ____________ the situation by asking yourself several questions that help you develop content and choose the best medium.
composing, analyze
Using a "silver lining" in the close of a bad-news message includes ___________.
potential benefits
In addition to expressing appreciation for an idea, how can you reject a team member's suggestions while maintaining goodwill?
provide convincing explanations
When preparing to deliver bad news, the audiences' reaction ____________.
should be anticipated by thinking about the situation from their perspective
Evaluating a bad-news message _________.
should include determining if the message communicates a sense of goodwill to the audience and whether it will achieve a good business result
You need to write a letter to a customer denying a claim, as the customer is responsible for the problem that she is asking you to fix. In this situation, ___________.
the indirect approach can provide introductory information so it can be understood by the reader
When denying a customer claim, what should the goal of the communication be?
to maintain goodwill
Research shows that customer tell nearly __________ as many people about their bad experiences then they tell about their good experiences.
twice
Your audience will be less accepting of bad news if you ___________.
use the word "you" a lot
Which of the following statements would be best to include in a letter turning down someone who applied for a job?
After much consideration, we have offered the position to another candidate.
In which stage of the ACE process does a communicator determine the best medium to use in providing the bad news?
Analyzing
When positioning the bad news, what is one way to soften the impact?
Begin with good news or audience benefits
Which field helps organizations help manage change that may be considered negative?
Change Management
Which of the following is a key element of change management?
Communication
If your audience is expecting to hear from you, and the bad news is not a surprise, what organizational approach will benefit the message?
Direct
To share some important bad news with a client in a way that does not seem impersonal or evasive, which of the following would be the best choice?
Which of the following is an advantage to using email to convey bad news?
Email is more likely to be accurate and complete.
If you must refuse a claim because the customer was at fault, which of the following might help maintain customer loyalty?
Explain the reason behind the policy and refusal
When possible, which method of delivering bad news is usually the best choice?
Face-to-face
Which of the following is required to ensure a message is effective?
Goodwill
When writing a communication to deny a customer claim, what can be done to help maintain a future relationship?
Helping the customer feel that the resolution was fair
If you want to encourage immediate discussion of your bad-news message, which of the following would be an appropriate choice for delivering your message?
IM
In today's team-based businesses, which of the following is most likely to be the result of collaboration?
It creates a situation where you may need to reject more ideas than you accept
In which of the following situations is the direct organizational method the preferred way to deliver bad news?
It is important that the audience sees the news immediately
When getting bad news from people of other cultures, how can you be sure of the message?
Listen carefully to what is said, and what is not said
Which of the following can soften the bad news when denying a customer request?
Offering an alternative solution to the customer's request
When concluding bad news, which of the following will promote goodwill in the message?
Propose an alternative
In the close of a message that is refusing a request, which of the following would be most positive and promote goodwill?
Proposing an alternative
Which of the following questions is a part of the analyzing stage of the ACE process for delivering bad news?
Should I include an apology?
Which of the following is a way to "soften the blow" of bad news?
Subordinating the bad news
Which of the following is an acceptable way to ease the impact of bad news?
Surrounding the bad news by two subordinate clauses
How can someone maintain credibility and goodwill while acknowledging a mistake has been made?
Take responsibility for the mistake
Why is it inappropriate to use the indirect approach in a message that has to do with an employee's safety?
The audience may mistake the message for a routine communication and decide not to read it
How can a buffer be used to soften the impact of bad news?
The buffer can provide context for the message
When communicating bad news to a customer, which of the following is most important in maintaining a positive relationship?
The company must correct all errors, if they are at fault.
Why should bad-news message undergo extensive evaluations before being sent?
The message can have significant negative business results
What is the difference between using a direct or an indirect approach to bad news?
The order of the bad news and explanations
Why are bad news messages challenging to compose?
They require you to achieve a number of goals that are incompatible at first glance.
In a bad-news message, what will help the audience feel good about the writer, the situation, and themselves?
Tone and style
If you are refusing a request but can grant a portion of the request, how should your message close?
With a statement about what the company can do, or an alternative
In the context of the ACE process, the __________ questions help you develop what to say in bad-news message whereas the __________ questions focus on how to say it.
analyzing; composing
When taking the direct approach in dealing with bad news, what is the last element of the message?
announcing how the problem will be fixed, or prevented, in the future
When taking the direct approach in dealing with bad news, what is the first element of the message?
announcing the bad news
To be effective, a bad-news message should ___________.
explain the reasons behind the bad news
Using email to communicate bad news ________.
frees the communicator from worrying about being confronted by an angry audience
Taking a "you" perspective in the face of a mistake ________.
is ethical and a good business decision
A positive closing to a bad-news message ______________.
is forward-looking
When an extension on a deadline is needed, asking for the extension instead of demanding an accommodation for the delay __________.
is more likely to generate goodwill and achieve a good business result
Of all the features in your message, the __________ has the most power to influence the audience to accept your bad news.
justification behind the bad news
In the context of sharing bad news, a text message _____________.
may be seen as an informal approach