Describe and apply effective techniques for delivering bad news within organizations.

Negative Messages

Employee Bad News: No Social Media at Work

Your manager at MarketingMind, a successful midsized public relations agency, is concerned that the youngest employees may be oversharing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other popular social media platforms. Two supervisors have complained that they spotted inappropriate photos on Facebook posted by a small group of millennials on the company payroll. This group of twenty somethings is close-knit. Its members maintain friendships outside the office and in cyberspace. They are smart and plugged in, but they seem to have trouble recognizing boundaries of age and authority. They party every weekend, which is code for a lot of drinking, marijuana use, and even salacious escapades—all of which the young workers generously document with smartphone cameras on the spot and occasionally in real time. Sometimes they share snarky comments about their workplace, such as “Rough day at work” or “Talked to the most idiotic client ever!” On top of that, the young people think nothing of friending their colleagues and supervisors. Their friends rank in the hundreds; some in the group have exceeded 1,000 friends on Facebook and Instagram.

MarketingMind has embraced cutting-edge technology because the management believes that information sharing and collaboration tools can lead to networking opportunities and, if used correctly, to increased productivity. The company maintains a permissive stance toward Internet use, but concern is growing that the young people are headed for trouble. The abuses continue despite the company’s comprehensive Internet and social media use policy, which was widely disseminated. Probably the biggest risk MarketingMind fears is the leaking of confidential information on social networking sites.

(L.O. 1) – Understand the strategies of business communicators in conveying negative news.

(L.O. 2) – Compare the techniques and ethics of the direct and indirect strategies in communicating unfavorable news.

(L.O. 3) – Explain the components of effective negative messages, including opening with a buffer, apologizing, showing empathy, presenting the reasons, cushioning the bad news, and closing pleasantly.

(L.O. 4) – Apply effective techniques for refusing typical requests or claims, as well as for presenting bad news to customers in print or online.

(L.O. 5) – Describe and apply effective techniques for delivering bad news within organizations.

https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?deploymentld=58335411286696856227708774&dockAppUid=101&elSBN=9781337386562&nb… 12/13