Direct & Indirect pattern
The direct pattern can be used when the audience prefers the bad news first and is not involved emotionally.
Three parts to this method:
(1) Bad news: state the bad news up front.
(2) Reasons: Explain the reasons for the bad news and offer some alternatives if you can.
(3) Closing: Close with a positive statement—something aimed at soothing the reader. Express interest or encouragement. This pattern is often used to deliver bad news through internal memos, routine messages to other businesses and in situation that demands firmness (e.g. rejecting job applicants)
The indirect pattern when the audience is emotionally involved and will
be displeased with the bad news.
There are 4 parts to this method:
(1) Buffer: open
with a neutral but meaningful statement that does not mention the bad news.
(2)
Reasons: explain the causes of the bad news before disclosing it.
(3) Bad news:
Reveal the bad news without emphasizing it. Provide an alternative or compromise, if
possible.
(4) Closing: End with a personalized, forward-looking, pleasant statement.
Avoid referring to bad news. This pattern is efficient for situation like: bad news about orders or products, denials or routine requests or invitations, refusal of claim adjustments or credit,
bad news about people.
Personal Opinion:
But if sender feels that the receiver cannot strongly face the bad news then sender must use Indirect Approach which includes buffering then reasoning then announcement of bad news and at last positive closing.
Question:
Do you feel that following indirect approach can help in reducing bad feeling associated with bad news?
References
Delivering Bad News | How to deliver bad news. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://deliverbadnews.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/top-ten-key-points-to-deliver-bad-news.pdf
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