Deck 11: Writing Negative Messages

Question 1

Which approach to bad news should be taken if the news is particularly important or consequential to the reader?

A)Indirect
B)Persuasive
C)Leading
D)Direct
E)Routine

Answer 1

A

Question 2

When you're planning a negative message,________ in order to minimize the damage to business relationships and encourage acceptance of your message.

A)analyze the situation carefully
B)be direct at all times
C)emphasize your needs and concerns
D)quote the policies and regulations of your company
E)offer an opportunity to discuss the issue in person

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Withholding or delaying bad news can be unethical,or even illegal.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Which of the following is one of the five goals of communicating negative information?

A)Gain acceptance for the bad news
B)Let the audience assume the bad news
C)Offer alternatives to the bad news
D)Offer the opportunity to discuss the issue further
E)Avoid sharing the bad news

Question 5

When composing negative messages,don't use language that

A)conveys respect.
B)avoids an accusing tone.
C)protects your reader's pride.
D)pinpoints the reader's shortcomings.
E)considers the needs of the audience.

Question 6

When you're writing a negative message,use ________ to take some of the sting out of the bad news and to help your reader accept the message and move forward.

A)facts and figures
B)clarity and sensitivity
C)subtlety and innuendo
D)blame and leverage
E)company policy

Question 7

Use the ________ when you must deliver bad news,if your audience has an emotional investment in the situation.

A)blended approach
B)discretionary approach
C)direct approach
D)indirect approach

Question 8

Which of the following is one of the goals of analyzing a situation before conveying negative news?

A)Less acceptance of the message
B)Improved future performance on the part of the sender
C)Minimized damage to the business relationship
D)Controlled context for the message
E)A personal message to the recipient

Question 9

To avoid awkward situations,it is best to deliver bad news for employees in writing whenever possible.

Question 10

During which step of the planning process should you determine the channel and medium for a negative message?

A)Writing
B)Sending
C)Completing
D)Evaluating
E)Planning

Question 11

Which of the following is one of the five goals of communicating negative information?

A)Offer the opportunity to discuss the issue further
B)Reduce the need for future correspondence on the matter,if appropriate
C)Offer alternatives to the bad news
D)Let the audience assume the bad news
E)End all opportunities for communication with the audience

Question 12

Use the ________ to deliver bad news,if you have to get the reader's attention immediately.

A)dialectic approach
B)bidirectional approach
C)direct approach
D)indirect approach
E)persuasive approach

Question 13

Use the ________ if you must deliver bad news that will shock or surprise your audience.

A)indirect approach
B)discretionary approach
C)direct approach
D)introverted approach

Question 14

When using the direct approach for a negative message,which of the following should open the message?

A)Reasons for the situation
B)The bad news
C)Reasons for the decision
D)A positive statement of good will
E)A statement of your desire to maintain a good relationship

Question 15

If you have to compose a negative message,keep in mind that your audience will be indifferent to what you have to say.

Question 16

Discuss questions that should be thought through when determining if negative information should be shared in an indirect or direct format.

Question 17

Which of the following will help to take some of the sting out of bad news,helping your reader accept the decision?

A)Avoiding positive words and replacing with negative ones
B)Using an accusing tone
C)Telling the reader how to avoid the issue in the future
D)Explaining your qualifications
E)Writing clearly and with sensitivity

Question 18

One of the primary goals of a negative message is to

A)sell products and services to unwilling customers.
B)empathize with fellow employees.
C)rally support for unpopular causes.
D)gain acceptance for the bad news.
E)offer alternative ways of achieving the desired outcome.

Question 19

What are your five main goals when delivering bad news?

Question 20

Which approach to bad news should be taken if you want to get the reader's attention immediately?

A)Indirect
B)Persuasive
C)Leading
D)Direct
E)Complicated

Question 21

Use the direct approach for negative messages,if the message will have a relatively minor impact on the audience.

Question 22

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

Question 23

Which of the following can be done to create a close to a message that is respectful to the audience?

A)Create some hope for future opportunities
B)Explain why the news seems negative but can be helpful in the long term
C)Include a statement of confidentiality
D)Understand the impact the news is likely to have on the recipient
E)Avoid offering alternative solutions

Question 24

Discuss why apologizing in business messages is not always advised.

Question 25

Which of the following is one of the purposes of using the indirect approach for negative messages?

A)To obscure news
B)To delay sharing the news
C)To help the readers accept the situation
D)To limit your responsibility
E)To signal the seriousness of the news

Question 26

When closing a negative message on a respectful note,what types of statements should be avoided?

A)Those that create false hopes
B)Those that use positive language
C)Those that include alternative solutions
D)Those that offer an apology when you have done nothing wrong
E)Those that indicate how the organization plans to avoid the error in the future

Question 27

Which of the following should be placed immediately after a direct opening?

A)Positive alternatives to the news
B)A list of those affected by the news
C)An apology
D)Reasons for future decisions
E)An explanation of why the news is negative

Question 28

If you choose to apologize in a negative message,you should

A)phrase the apology in a conditional manner ("If I have offended anyone ...").
B)imply that not all of the blame lies with you or your company.
C)be sincere and make it a true apology.
D)always demonstrate sincerity,but never accept blame.
E)explain what the reader should do to avoid similar issues in the future.

Question 29

Which of the following is an advantage to stating the bad news at the beginning of the message?

A)The audience will recover from their shock quicker
B)The message can be shorter
C)The main idea will not be identified until the middle paragraph
D)The focus of the message will be on personal factors
E)You will not need to explain to the reader why you are writing

Question 30

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

Question 31

When you deliver negative messages,you

A)should always begin with a buffer.
B)should not include reasons for the decision or information.
C)should use language that conveys respect.
D)can expect your audience to be offended.
E)should always avoid specific statements of bad news.

Question 32

A poorly written buffer can

A)trivialize the reader's concerns.
B)divert attention from the problem.
C)mislead the reader into thinking your message actually contains good news.
D)all of the above.

Question 33

Which of the following is a neutral statement that establishes common ground with the reader without revealing the main idea of the message?

A)Ethics statement
B)Obscuring
C)Audience orientation
D)Close
E)Buffer

Question 34

What are the two benefits of stating the bad news at the beginning of a negative message?

Question 35

Which of the following is important to include in the close of a message when you are responding after a mistake was made by your organization?

A)Clear identification of who made the mistake
B)Assurance the error will never happen again
C)A reminder of the bad news
D)Reasons for the decision
E)A description of actions taken to avoid similar mistakes

Question 36

Which of the following is one of the goals of a well-written buffer?

A)To be relevant and sincere
B)To trivialize the reader's concerns
C)To divert attention from the problem
D)To offer flattery or additional material
E)To have the reader think the message contains good news

Question 37

Which of the following is an advantage to using an indirect approach for negative messages?

A)The bad news will be obscured
B)The reader is more prepared for the bad news
C)The writer can limit their responsibility for the bad news
D)The bad news will be delayed,and therefore minimized
E)The reader is likely to overlook the bad news

Question 38

If you're using the direct approach to deliver a negative message

A)save the bad news for last.
B)state the bad news at the beginning.
C)embed the bad news in a parenthetical expression.
D)subordinate the bad news in a compound sentence.
E)avoid mentioning the bad news entirely.

Question 39

Which of the following is used to open messages when using the indirect approach?

A)Summary
B)Bad news
C)Conclusion
D)Buffer
E)Reasons

Question 40

Why should an apology be delivered quickly when an apology is included in a negative message?

A)To help close the discussion
B)To encourage further communication
C)To help maintain some control over a story
D)To avoid reasons and detail in the message
E)To prevent comments from being posted on social media

Question 41

What four guidelines should you follow in writing effective closings to negative messages?

Question 42

With the exception of ________,all of the following guidelines can help you close a negative message on a respectful note.

A)being sincere
B)managing future correspondence
C)avoiding an uncertain conclusion
D)promising an optimistic future outcome

Question 43

Which of the following should be avoided when closing a negative news message?

A)Optimism
B)Uncertain conclusions
C)Final decisions
D)Sincerity
E)Available alternatives

Question 44

One way to be tactful when giving your reasons for bad news is to

A)explain why the decision is good for you and your company.
B)highlight,if possible,how your negative decision benefits the recipient.
C)explain that the decision is based on company policy.
D)apologize for having to be the bearer of bad news.
E)ignore any request you don't intend to comply with.

Question 45

The buffer of a negative message

A)should be neutral and noncontroversial.
B)implicitly says no.
C)is a form of apology.
D)should be very vague about the subject of the message.
E)should mention the bad news.

Question 46

In which section of an indirect message should you provide information that will lead the audience to the negative news?

A)Buffer
B)Opening section
C)After the bad news
D)The explanation
E)Close

Question 47

The buffer for a negative message should be positive.

Question 48

You are faced with informing your supervisor about massive production delays.Company policy dictates that you must provide this information in writing.What questions should you consider when deciding between the direct and indirect approaches for your message?

Question 49

Instead of announcing the bad news up front,you can open with a(n)________ to establish common ground with the reader.

A)humorous anecdote
B)buffer statement
C)diversionary tactic
D)heartwarming story
E)expression of appreciation

Question 50

If you do all of the following EXCEPT ________,you can close a negative message in a positive way.

A)build goodwill
B)suggest alternative actions
C)dwell on the bad news
D)look toward the future

Question 51

According to your textbook,which of the following techniques is a best practice for delivering bad news?

A)Maximize the space devoted to it.
B)Make the bad news seem trivial.
C)Withhold important information.
D)Deemphasize it visually and grammatically.

Question 52

Consider the following statement: "Our profits,which have been disappointing,are only part of the total picture." This statement uses a ________ to deliver negative news.

A)mixed metaphor
B)parenthetical expression
C)deflective reference
D)contingent modifier

Question 53

You can use an agreement strategy to write an effective buffer statement if you

A)find an attribute or achievement to compliment.
B)express sincere thanks for receiving something.
C)demonstrate that you understand the reader's goals and needs.
D)discover a point on which you and the reader share similar views.
E)want to identify points where the reader should understand your view.

Question 54

List three techniques for deemphasizing bad news.

Question 55

One important goal of a buffer is to

A)delay stating the bad news.
B)establish common ground with your reader.
C)make your reader wonder what the message is about.
D)divert the reader's attention to a more pleasant subject.
E)offer alternative ways of solving a problem.

Question 56

In the reasons section of a negative message,you should

A)prepare the reader for the negative news.
B)state the bad news directly.
C)apologize for the negative decision.
D)establish common ground with the reader.
E)include every reason you have identified.

Question 57

Which one of the following would be the most effective way to open an indirect message that delivers bad news to someone who applied for a summer internship?

A)Please accept my apology for having to deliver bad news.
B)We have rejected your application for the summer internship.
C)Your résumé clearly shows why you're interested in a summer internship.
D)We are unable to consider your résumé and application letter at this time.

Question 58

Businesspeople rarely have to deliver negative news.

Question 59

In a negative message,the explanation section should

A)distract readers with current events.
B)apologize for any inconvenience the message may cause.
C)lead readers to your conclusion before you state it.
D)establish common ground with the reader.

Question 60

In the close to a negative message,you should repeat the bad news.

Question 61

If the stakes are high for you or your receiver,use a(n)________ to deliver negative information.

A)intuitive approach
B)irregular approach
C)indirect approach
D)direct approach
E)persuasive approach

Question 62

When you must deliver negative messages in the workplace,strive to maintain high standards of ethics and etiquette because

A)laws and regulations dictate content and delivery of many business messages.
B)negative messages can have a significant impact on the lives of those who receive them.
C)negative messages contain emotional content for both senders and receivers.
D)all of the above.

Question 63

Emotions often run high when negative messages are involved for both the sender and the receiver which makes high standards of ethics and etiquette important.

Question 64

Which format is usually most effective when rejecting suggestions and solicited proposals?

A)Direct
B)Persuasive
C)Negative
D)Indirect
E)Positive

Question 65

Discuss guidelines for writing an effective,respectful close when using the indirect approach for negative news.

Question 66

Why is using the indirect approach usually better when refusing claims and requests for adjustments?

A)It is quicker and easier to write
B)You can include an apology and offer discounts on future transactions
C)You don't have to include an apology
D)The customer is likely to be emotionally involved
E)There will be a stronger indication the issue is closed

Question 67

What is your primary communication challenge when you are unable to comply with a routine request?

A)Minimizing time spent on the working relationship
B)Turning the request into an unsolicited request
C)Fully and carefully explaining reasons
D)Giving a clear negative response without generating negative feelings
E)Offering alternatives,if available

Question 68

Which of the following statements does the best job of delivering bad news clearly and kindly?

A)I am sorry to have to tell you that we rejected your application.
B)Because you do not have the experience we clearly listed in the job posting,we cannot offer you the position.
C)There were many highly qualified applicants and the chosen candidate already has a CPA license.
D)Several other applicants were far more qualified for the position than you were,so we cannot offer you the job.
E)We have already offered the position to a more qualified candidate.

Question 69

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

Question 70

When using the indirect approach to make a negative announcement on a routine business matter,what should be established in the buffer?

A)Your reasons for the decision
B)An announcement of the negative news
C)As much positive information as available
D)A variety of suggestions and proposals
E)An area of mutual ground between you and the reader

Question 71

Discuss why ethics and etiquette are important when writing bad news messages.

Question 72

Employees who observe illegal or unethical behavior in the workplace may resort to ________,if they're unable to resolve the problems through normal channels.

A)"shuffling the deck"
B)"calling the game"
C)"blowing the whistle"
D)"breaking the mold"

Question 73

Which of the following is the process of reporting unethical or illegal behavior within a company?

A)Buffering
B)Whistle-blowing
C)Defamation
D)Goodwill
E)Crisis management

Question 74

When you must deliver bad news in the workplace,remember that

A)you should de-emphasize the news at all costs.
B)your feelings,as well as the feelings of anyone who receives the message,are irrelevant.
C)delaying,downplaying,or distorting the news may be unethical or illegal.
D)internal and external audiences will react to the news in the same way.
E)bad news in the workplace is routine and should be handled as such.

Question 75

How can an organization encourage the value of whistle-blowing within the organization?

Question 76

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

A)should use the indirect approach.
B)should invoke company policy if that is a possible out.
C)don?t need to invest as much time and effort as you would for other kinds of negative messages.
D)should give the name of the person making the decision.
E)avoid offering suggestions or other options available.

Question 77

Which of the following is an advantage to using the direct approach when refusing routine requests?

A)It offers advice about how the audience can pursue other possibilities
B)High stakes issues become less important
C)The audience can modify their expectations of you
D)It is easier to establish a profession tone for the message
E)The audience gets their answer quickly

Question 78

Discuss the effective use of a buffer when using the indirect format for writing a negative message.

Question 79

Which of the following is one reason the consideration of ethics is especially important when delivering bad news?

A)The law requires all communications to be ethical and written with etiquette
B)Strong ethical standards will minimize the impact of the negative news
C)To emphasize the benefits to all stakeholders,not just those receiving the news
D)The news may impact the lives of those receiving it in a significant way
E)The message can minimize anxiety for the reader

Question 80

When delivering bad news,wording such as "We must turn down," "I am unable to," and "We cannot afford to"

A)softens the blow by drawing attention away from the reader and onto the sender.
B)will impress the reader as being straightforward and forceful.
C)is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader.
D)is unavoidable.
E)lets the reader know your decision is final.