chapter 11 BCOM
Which of the following were findings from research on the delivery of bad news in the financial industry?
-Customers suspect banks that use vague language. -Complete explanations drastically increased customers' trust in the bank. -Clear, specific language promotes trust.
Why is delivering bad news to clients particularly difficult?
-Firms do not want to let their clients down. -The success of a business depends on sales to clients.
Which of the following qualities should the tone of a bad-news message have?
-It should be appropriately positive. -It should recognize how the bad news affects the recipient. -It should show true concern.
Which of the following statements about persons who are receiving bad news are true?
-They often become emotional and cannot think clearly. -They cannot easily grasp complex facts, because they are considering how the news will affect them. -Simple language is easier for them to comprehend.
Which of the following statements are true about bad-news messages?
-They should be delivered promptly. -They should show goodwill toward the recipients. -They can be delivered through different appropriate channels.
Which of the following are ways in which you can make the situation better for recipients of bad news?
-Understand how the news affects recipients. -Deliver the news in a timely manner. -Use the right mix of communication channels.
Which of the following is true about the communication channels used with bad-news messages?
News that will affect the recipient in the worst possible way should be delivered face-to-face.
A bad-news message that is too elaborately formatted is an example of poor
design.
In a business situation, after delivering bad news and explaining why things turned out this way, you should
discuss what this development means for the recipients.
The use of simple, specific language in bad-news messages
is perceived by recipients as honest and up-front.
Bad-news messages
require more of an effort to serve others than other message types.
In a bad-news message, a buffer
should appear at the beginning of a message.
The writing style of a bad-news message should
use simple language.
Showing sincere concern in a bad-news message is largely a question of
tone
Research indicates that when banks told customers why they reached bad-news decisions,
it increased the trust that customers felt toward the banks.
Richer channels of communication are most appropriate for bad news
with low controllability and high severity.
The failure to share bad news within an organization
-sometimes happens because employees don't want to be blamed when things go wrong. -leads to lower morale within the organization. -gives top-level officials the impression that things are more positive than they actually are.
How much the recipient can affect the outcome of bad news is called
controllability.
Why is it important to gather facts from a variety of sources so you can make fair, objective decisions before delivering bad news?
-Although the situation might be upsetting, usually the solution should not be based on emotion. -Your initial interpretation of the situation might not be the only valid way to look at it. -Since the consequences of the bad news might be severe, you should be sure of the facts and possible solutions.
Which of the following statements about delivering bad news are true?
-It is important to deliver the news quickly and look ahead to the future. -The actual reception of bad news often hurts recipients less than a delay in receiving it. -Planning should begin as soon as the bad news is discovered.
Which of the following are true about discussing the short-term effects of bad news?
-It is important to discuss what the bad news means to recipients, instead of minimizing it. -Skipping a discussion of the negative impact on the recipients will make them see you as detached from their needs.
What are some of the drawbacks to delivering bad news in writing?
-It might seem callous or impersonal. -If the recipient misunderstands the message, you cannot explain immediately.
To soften the blow of bad news in written communications. you could use
-a neutral subject line for the message. -a buffer statement.
How can people boost their credibility when delivering bad news?
-bear responsibility for their own role in the situation -try to lessen the negative impact on others who are involved -tell the truth in difficult situations
When important decisions must be made, but there is not yet much information available,
-people frequently assume the worst. -people tend to spread rumors about what is happening. -leaders lose credibility if people think they are withholding information.
A teaser message
-signals upcoming bad news. -prepares bad-news recipients emotionally -does not reveal specific information.
A teaser message is a
type of buffer.
In direct bad-news messages,
the bad news is delivered, then a rationale is provided.
Which of the following statements about bad-news messages are correct?
-Sometimes it is preferable to deliver them in writing. -They can be delivered through a mix of channels. -They are usually best delivered vocally, face to face
Delivering bad news with the feelings of the recipient in mind involves
-explaining why the decision was made. -stating the bad news quickly. -keeping any buffer statement short.
One important aspect of delivering bad-news messages is to
give the news without waiting too long.
Which of the following are common types of buffers for bad-news messages?
giving a compliment appreciation a neutral statement
One major difference between direct and indirect bad-news messages is that
the order of delivering the news and providing a rationale are switched.