ELSAC Workout: Workplace English 2, Two Approaches

ELSAC Workout: Workplace English 2, Two Approaches
(EN/F/0401.019)
Get Writing Fit!

explore two approaches to delivering bad news
consider when to use the direct and indirect approaches

Level: Foundation
Time: approx. 20 mins
Suggested next workout: This is the final Workplace English workout. Try a Grammar or Vocabulary workout to strengthen your English.

Work through the practice activities in order, by clicking on the tabs at the top of the next page. After completing all practices, the Result tab will summarize your workout. Record your results as proof of independent learning and as motivation to repeat the workout and beat your score. Practice makes you fitter!

Material developed by Hebe Wong, Fiona K P SIU, Alison Wood.

Strengthen knowledge

Stretch usage

Energize practice

*** All ELSAC Workouts ***

Practice 1 Practice 2 Practice 3 Practice 4 Result

1. Warm up for the workout

When communicating in business, sometimes you deliver good news to a customer, colleague or superior. But sometimes you have to tell them some news that may have negative consequences for them. There are two main approaches to delivering these types of messages: the direct approach and the indirect approach.

With the direct approach, the writer explains the point clearly and directly, at the beginning of the communication. With the indirect approach, the writer softens the point by referring to lots of positive aspects before embedding the point towards the end of the communication. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach. Decide whether each point below is an advantage or disadvantage of one of the approaches.

a. Can seem more honest
b. Takes up more of your reader's time as it's usually a longer message
c. Takes up less of your reader's time as it's usually a shorter message
d. May upset your reader from the beginning of the communication so that s/he does not read further, or reads on with a negative feeling
e. Can help the reader to feel positive because most of the message will emphasize the good things about your relationship
f. Can seem less honest, as if you are trying to hide something

Direct Approach	Indirect Approach
Advantages	Advantages
Disadvantages	Disadvantages

So, how does the writer decide which approach to use? Well, that depends on the context:
how important the bad news is, how strong your relationship with the reader is, what your aim for your future relationship is, etc.
Also, which approach do you think your reader would prefer / react to more positively? Some readers may prefer the direct
approach, even if the bad news is significant, whilst others may react better to the indirect approach. It depends...

2. The indirect approach for bad news

This is an example of the indirect approach to delivering bad news. Read the email, then select a label for each part from the drop down menus. Read the explanation for each label first (below).

Dear Ms Law,

Many thanks for your email. We are grateful for your loyal custom these past three years and very much hope that our fruitful relationship will continue.

We have considered your refund request very carefully, including an investigation into the timing of the order and an examination of the packaging you returned to us. It seems that the batch was delivered within five days of your order, which was placed on 2nd July. The colour of the packaging is per our specifications, which explain that some fading may occur, but that this is normal and not an issue of quality.

We agree that the colour is not exactly the same as your previous purchase, so we are happy to replace this order with another batch, although unfortunately, a refund is not possible. Please let us know whether you would like the replacement batch to be the same, or a different colour. We will ensure that the fading in the new batch is kept to a minimum, and you will receive it within 5 days of you specifying the colour you prefer.

Please do contact me again if you have further questions or feedback. We look forward to receiving your next order,

Kind regards,

Read the notes below, then select the correct label from each of the drop down menus above.

Explanation Provide clear reasons for the bad news, in order to help your reader accept it.

Positive note Include a few positive words, in order to encourage a productive future relationship.

Buffer This is a short paragraph to build goodwill and soften the impact of the negative message. A buffer should create a positive feeling which will help the reader to accept the bad news more easily.

Action Explain the action that you will take, or what you want the reader to do. Use the 'you', positive and courtesy principles (see ELSAC Workout Workplace English 1).

The bad news Insert the bad news in a less obvious place, i.e. embedded within a paragraph or sentence. This makes it seem 'smaller'. Keep it short, for the same reason.

⁽¹⁾

⁽²⁾

⁽³⁾

⁽⁴⁾

⁽⁵⁾

3. The direct approach for bad news

This is an example of the direct approach to delivering bad news. Read the email, then select a label for each part from the drop down menus. Read the explanation for each label first (below).

Dear Ms Law,

Many thanks for your email. Although we have considered your request carefully, unfortunately we are unable to give you a refund on this occasion. This is because:

the batch was delivered on time (on 5th July) within 5 days of you placing an order (on 2nd July)
the fading colour of the packaging is per our specifications.

However, we are happy to replace the batch with a new one; we will ensure that the colour fading is kept to a minimum. You will receive the new batch within 5 days of informing us of your choice of colour.

Please do contact me again if you have further questions or feedback. We look forward to receiving your next order,

Kind regards,

Read the notes below, then select the correct label from each of the drop down menus above.

Explanation Provide clear reasons for the bad news, in order to help your reader accept it.

Positive note Include a few positive words, in order to encourage a productive future relationship.

Action Explain the action that you will take, or what you want the reader to do. Use the 'you', positive and courtesy principles (see ELSAC Workout Workplace English 1).

The bad news Explain the bad news clearly and concisely. Keep it brief, so make it seem 'smaller'.

⁽¹⁾

⁽²⁾

⁽³⁾

⁽⁴⁾

Notice the differences between the indirect approach and the direct approach. The indirect approach INCLUDES a buffer and an
explanation, BEFORE mentioning the bad news. Hopefully, this will create positive feelings in the reader and a clearer understanding
and acceptance of the bad news. The direct approach does NOT include a buffer, and the explanation part comes AFTER the bad
news, which is placed at the beginning of the communication. Bullet points are used to enable the reader to understand the explanation quickly and easily.

4. Flex your grammar to help you

Here are two sentences taken from the two emails in Practices 2 and 3. Both of them consist of independent and subordinate clauses.

1. We agree that the colour is not exactly the same as your previous purchase, so we are happy to replace this order with another batch, although unfortunately, a refund is not possible.

2. Although we have considered your request carefully, unfortunately we are unable to give you a refund on this occasion.

Independent clauses can exist as sentences by themselves and don't always have subordinate clauses attached. Independent clauses can be joined to other independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions, such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Subordinate clauses add extra information to independent clauses. Subordinate clauses are joined to independent clauses by subordinating conjunctions, such as since, because, when, before, after, although.

Notice the position of the bad news in each sentence above. In sentence 1, which comes from the indirect approach email, the bad news is in the subordinate (i.e. not the main) clause. This increases the indirectness of the message. In sentence 2, which was taken from the direct approach email, the bad news is placed in the independent, or main, clause. This increases the directness of the message.

Let's practise!

Read about each scenario, then choose the correct conjunction, or no conjunction (X), from the drop down menus.

1. You want to break the bad news to this long-term client indirectly, and emphasize the positive part of your message.
^(a) we are not able to fulfill your order on time this month, ^(b) we will provide a 10% discount.

2. You want to explain the difficulty directly to your customer, because you know that he prefers a direct and open style of communication.
^(c) we regret the lack of quality control, ^(d) we are working to reproduce your order as quickly as possible.

3. Your supplier has raised delivery charges without informing you. You have a long-standing relationship so feel you can be direct.
^(e) the increase in delivery charges was not communicated to us, ^(f) we request a reduction in this month's invoice.

4. You want to support your colleague, so downplay his lateness.
^(g) John arrived late yesterday, ^(h) he completed all tasks efficiently and to a high standard.

5. This colleague is difficult to work with, and has received several warnings without improvement. Be direct.
⁽ⁱ⁾ I asked her three times, ^(j) Sarah did not contact Mr Jones.

Independent clause

Subordinate clause

Independent clause

CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed this workout and improved your workplace English fitness. Your results are below. Record your results as proof of independent learning. Take a rest, then repeat this workout to beat your personal best, or try a different one.

Suggested next workout: This is the final Workplace English workout. Try a Grammar or Vocabulary workout to strengthen your English.

Student's Name (Type in):

Final Result of Workplace English 2

Date:

Activity	Correct	Maximum	Percentage
Practice 1	0		0%
Practice 2	0		0%
Practice 3	0		0%
Practice 4	0		0%
Total Score	0		0%

Time Taken: