The slide show that accompanied my presentation on delivering negative news in a professional environment.

1. Delivering
Negative News
Avoiding Legal Liabilities

2. Overview
• Why?
• Goals in Communicating Bad news
• Strategies
• The “Indirect Pattern”
• 3 Causes of Legal Problems
• Q&A

3. Goals in Communicating
Bad News
• Acceptance
• Positive Image
• Message Clarity
• Protect

4. Strategies
• The Indirect Pattern
• The Direct Pattern

5. The Indirect Pattern
• Shows sensitivity to your reader
• Allows you to keep the reader’s
attention till you can explain the
reasons
• Consists of four parts
• The most important part is the
Explanation

6. • Buffer
• Reasons
• Bad News
• Closer

7. 3 Causes of Legal Problems

8. Abusive Language
• Defamation: Injury to reputation
•Libel (written)
•Slander (spoken)
• Likely to result in a lawsuit if it’s…
•False
•Damaging to one’s good name
•“Published”

9. Careless Language
• Includes statements that could be
damaging or misinterpreted
• Say only what you intend
• E-mail is especially risky

10. Good-Guy Syndrome
• Saying legally dangerous things to
make yourself or others feel better
• Do not admit to conditions that may
have caused damage
• Even apologies may suggest liability

11. Q & A