Question 1

If you feel that a face-to-face meeting is the appropriate way to deliver your bad-news message but it is too difficult to arrange logistically, a telephone call is a good alternative that still allows for personal contact.

Accepted Answer

Face-to-face meetings may take time to set up or be difficult due to geographic diversity, but a phone call still allows you to make a personal contact and to hear your audience's tone of voice.

Question 2

Your company was responsible for an error that was not harmful but inconvenienced customers and cost them time and money. 
-Under these circumstances, an apology ________.

Accepted Answer

E) Some think an apology is dangerous because it could imply legal liability, but research shows that a well-timed, strategically-worded apology can improve a company's image, facilitate forgiveness, and even decrease damages if the case goes to court.

Question 3

When you meet with your supervisor to discuss whether an apology should be issued, she expresses concern. While it is clear to her that an apology could imply legal liability, she is not sure that there are compelling positive outcomes. In describing to her the possible effects of apologizing, you would likely mention all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

D) Taking a "you perspective" in the face of a mistake is not only ethical, it can be good business. Research shows that a well-timed, strategically-worded apology can improve a company's image, facilitate forgiveness, and even decrease damages if the case goes to court. Essential to a successful apology, however, is showing how the problem will not occur again.

Question 4

When identifying an issue to a company that you are working with, all of the following can soften the impact of the bad news EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

D) Using the word "you" can be seen as accusatory and blaming to your audience. Instead of singling out the audience by addressing them as "you," referring to yourselves as partners in the issue can soften the impact of the bad news.

Question 5

Change is so pervasive in business and industry that "change management" has emerged as a discipline to study effective methods of managing organizational change for all of the following EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

C) "Change management" addresses processes and systems, human resources, and information technology. However, changes that negatively affect audiences, such as layoffs or reductions in benefits, offer unique communication challenges.

Question 6

A buffer is an introductory sentence or paragraph that leads up to and softens the bad-news message.

Accepted Answer

A buffer is used in the indirect organization approach.

Question 7

You need to tell one of these subcontractors, Greg, that his performance lately has not been up to your expectations. Which of the following statements would be best to use in a message delivering this bad news?

Accepted Answer

C) Although you might think that being sensitive to a vendor about bad news is not as important as being sensitive to a client, in most cases, you want to fix the problem and continue a positive business relationship. Using the word "you" can be seen as accusatory and blaming to your audience. Using "we," "our," and "us" can soften the impact of the bad news.

Question 8

After composing a bad-news message, analyze the situation by asking yourself about the goal of your message, the audience, content, organization, and medium.

Accepted Answer

It is important to analyze the situation before composing your message in order to effectively communicate the bad news.

Question 9

Apologizing for mistakes in a bad-news business message ________.

Accepted Answer

E) Some think an apology is dangerous because it could imply legal liability, but research shows that a well-timed, strategically-worded apology can improve a company's image, facilitate forgiveness, and even decrease damages if the case goes to court.

Question 10

As long as you can show people that the final results will be positive for them, they will not perceive change to be negative.

Accepted Answer

Change is often perceived as very negative, even when the results will eventually be positive.

Question 11

You have detected mistakes in the last two jobs performed by Asha, one of your subcontractors. When delivering this bad-news message to her, ________.

Accepted Answer

E) Although you might think that being sensitive to a vendor about bad news is not as important as being sensitive to a client, in most cases, you want to fix the problem and continue a positive business relationship. Disgruntled vendors can easily damage your reputation by complaining about you to customers and competitors.

Question 12

If your supervisor asks you to communicate some news to many employees and shareholders in your company simultaneously, one appropriate medium to accomplish this is a letter.

Accepted Answer

Letters must be sent and delivered, so do not allow for simultaneous sharing of information. Some choices that do are a group meeting, email, a memo, newsletter, website, or social networking site.

Question 13

Rejecting an employee's request for a raise is an example of a bad-news message.

Accepted Answer

Any message that may disappoint, inconvenience, or even anger your audience is a bad-news message. Other examples include explaining an unexpected problem or turning down someone who applied for a job.

Question 14

Most routine business communication benefits from a direct organizational plan, placing the main idea after the supporting details.

Accepted Answer

Most routine business communication benefits from a direct organizational plan, which states the purpose and main idea of the message before the supporting details.

Question 15

Analyzing is crucial to developing a message that supports your business goals and positively affects audience reaction.

Accepted Answer

Among other things, the analyzing phase involves asking yourself what business result you want to achieve and anticipating your audience's reaction to the bad news. You must take these considerations into account to create an effective message.

Question 16

Sugarcoating bad news is a good way to preserve the audience's self-esteem.

Accepted Answer

While it is important to convey the news sensitively to avoid offending your audience, the message must be clear.

Question 17

Communicating bad news ineffectively may not only anger people, but it may harm your business.

Accepted Answer

Delivering bad news ineffectively may anger people, but it also runs the risk of losing customers, clients, or employees. In some situations, legal liabilities may also be an issue.

Question 18

Like other bad-news communications, delivering bad news to a vendor requires balancing ________.

Accepted Answer

B) All bad-news communications should strive to balance a clear statement of the bad news with positive statements of goodwill.

Question 19

To remain competitive, businesses need to ________.

Accepted Answer

A) There's a saying that "nothing is constant in business except change." To remain competitive, businesses must change their procedures and policies based on customer needs and the state of the economy.

Question 20

After your supervisor agrees that an apology should be drafted, you do some research on what elements should be included in an effective apology. Your research shows that companies that successfully communicate about mistakes often include all of the following elements in their apologies EXCEPT ________.

Accepted Answer

E) Companies that successfully communicate about mistakes often include the four elements listed in the other choices in their apologies.

Quiz 9: Communicating Bad-News Messages