How to Structure a Bad News E-mail Message
From the Eye on the Workforce Blog
by Joe Wynne
Workforce management is a key part of project success, but project managers often find it difficult to get trustworthy information on what really works. From interpersonal interactions to big workforce issues we'll look the latest research and proven techniques to find the most effective solutions for your projects.
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Have you ever been stressed by being required to pass along bad news to project workers? Maybe this will help.
Here are two e-mail communications with the same bad news, the difference being they are structured differently. Which do you think is generally better to use? Assume the message comes by email after a conference call warns of an unspecified upcoming announcement regarding the project.
Example 1
As you know, we have experienced several obstacles in the project in recent months. We have not been able to find and place critical resources needed for current design and development work. Certain project partners and stakeholders were pulled away from the project to work on a high-priority regulatory initiative. Finally, costs are being incurred without adequate progress being made.
To respond appropriately to this situation, we will make the following adjustments in the next two weeks:
- Suspend the project's design and development activities and many other activities
- Continue to find resources for the design and development work
- Slow down other work which will involve reducing the number of contracted workers and teams
Details will follow.
Example 2
In the next two weeks, we will make the following adjustments in the project:
- Suspend the project's design and development activities and many other activities
- Continue to find resources for the design and development work
- Slow down other work which will involve reducing the number of contracted workers and teams
These changes are needed in order to respond appropriately to the current obstacles being experienced by the project. We have not been able to find and place critical resources needed for current design and development work. Certain project partners and stakeholders were pulled away from the project to work on a high-priority regulatory initiative. Finally, costs are being incurred without adequate progress being made.
Details will follow.
Basically, both messages provide the same information, just in different order, so is it really a big deal? That's what researchers Frank Jansen and Danial Janssen determined in their study. What they found was that study participants valued more highly messages with the explanation first, as in Example 1. This was called an "indirect structure," versus a "direct structure" where the bad news appeared first in the message as in Example 2.
So when you send out your email with bad news (and the preference difference seemed to be limited to e-mails), perhaps it will be less stressful on you when you know that you are using a structure that your audience will value more. Or that you will be using a best practice to communicate, a critical skill for project managers.
Posted on: November 03, 2015 11:23 AM |
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Comments (13)
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Bruce Wilkinson MBA, PMP
Expert Project Manager / Trustworthy Executive Assistant / Business Coach| goBRUCE Business Services
Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador
Tips like these are very valuable. In the indirect message, the blow is definitely "softened", whereas the direct structure hits you between the eyes. How we communicate has a huge effect on how people perceive the message. As the PMBOK says, "Project management success in an organization is highly dependent on an effective organizational communication style."
Thilo Wack
Head of Existing Product and Test Lab| optimed
Tholey-Hasborn, Germany
Worked for me, too. Very interesting and useful find, thanks for sharing!
Mike Frenette
Manager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Appropriate and timely communication is critical to the success of any project. How you present news can have a lasting impact, especially in this age of distraction, with people reading the first few words of an email before they move on to something else.
I totally agree that cluing people in about what is happening before dropping a "project is cancelled" bomb is the way to go. I might suggest. though, that a project meeting, even if virtual, would be a far better way to deliver such important news.
As a consultant, I would also emphasize what will happen with project resources in terms of new and exciting projects on which people are likely to be deployed. In this way, you may even be turning what some might perceive as bad news into good news.
But I understand you are only trying to illustrate a point, Joe. That is, don't hit people over the head without first telling them why. :)
PANKAJ KUMAR JOSHI
General Manager| Transrail Lighting Limited
Nainital, Uttrakhand, India
What would you like to listen; if you have a good news and a bad news? It depends sometime on people.
But in general the soft words often helps to alleviate the pain of negative information.
DEBASIS CHAKRABARTI
General Manager & Country Operations Head - Burundi Africa| Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Very practical yet very simple. Thanks Joe.
Manas De Amin
Director| Computer Technology Group Kolkata
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Joe, thanks for reminding the obvious. Yes, a slight change can make huge impact.
PARAG KANDEKAR
VP Operations| SoftNice Inc
Allentown, Pa, United States
Yep, such communication is always challenging. Based on situation, overall possible impact and future strategy - we need to balance the communication type and way of communication.
I normally try to have informal communication before sending the formal communication where the context and background is set in the right direction.
Bruce Wilkinson MBA, PMP
Expert Project Manager / Trustworthy Executive Assistant / Business Coach| goBRUCE Business Services
Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador
Informal before formal communication. Brilliant! This subtly sends the message that "You are important enough to me that I'm going to tell you BEFORE the official word goes out". Just make sure that the formal message follows fairly quickly before the rumor mill winds up too much!!!
PANKAJ KUMAR JOSHI
General Manager| Transrail Lighting Limited
Nainital, Uttrakhand, India
Informal information is a good way but should be used case to case basis. Sometime people are ready to accept the news because of partial information they have been received.
We can not satisfy everyone, as they were not ready to accept it because of rumors they have heard.
So It is better to put a well structured email before any rumor spreads.
rachel town
Kent State University Ashtabula
Ashtabula, Oh, United States
I like how you have approached this challenge in the first "softened" version which would have worked better in a few similar situations I've been in where I've used formal communication and I needed to be more informal. Depends on the situation thought! Not one size fits all!
Austin Hundley
Senior Consultant| Nordic Consulting
Nashville, Tn, United States
Ha, I immediately thought, oh definitely example 2. Guess it depends on the person. I always value directness more than indirect or softened. For me, if you've got something to say, say it. Oh well! :)
Vincent Guerard
Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance
Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
Rapid communication is important and often best achieve informally. The more formal communication should follow quickly.
A third option would have added something at the end to the first example. That would have been my choice.
Thanks for sharing. This is informative. I prefer to keep all communication simple and straight.
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