Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news. Sometimes, though, you’ll have to step up to the plate, especially in business settings.
What kinds of “bad news” will you likely find yourself needing to convey within a professional capacity? Most likely, it will be some form of rejection letter, termination letter, a circular that the bonus will be delayed by six months or something similar. Bad news, whether expressed through email, a memo or another, is always delivered in one of two ways – directly or indirectly.
Direct Format
The direct format is a straightforward relaying of the bad news, intended to inform the reader immediately of the situation. Most of the time, this is used in communication with people whose reaction you don’t really care about, where maintaining an amicable relationship between the reader and the receiver is of no great importance.
Despite the lack of desire for tact, do make sure your communication is courteous and has received the benefit of a grammar software to ensure no confusion. A direct format makes the “bad news” definite and rarely makes room for appeal.
Indirect Format
The indirect style of writing prepares the reader for the bad news and provides a clear reasoning for the decision. An effort is clearly made to let the reader know that everything has been done to avoid the situation, in the interest of preserving positive terms. Use plenty of tact and employ “soft” words for best results.
