Techniques for Expressing a Negative Message

What is the word “buffer” imply?

It can be illustrated like this: On a car you have a bumper, when you are in a collision involving the bumper; the bumper absorbs the impact and lightens the collision impact just like a cushion. In presenting a negative message you can compare it to a car collision impact and you have the “buffer” to absorb the impact just like the bumper.

You never want to start with the negative message because you will simply offend the person, which is why it is very important to create a “buffer” or in other words present a positive message to prepare the person for the impact or say negative message.

Start of with saying “Thank you for.... You did excellent on....” Showing such appreciation will be an excellent way to start your “buffer.” Make sure your “buffer does not sound too good otherwise when you begin with the negative message it would be rather hard for the person to accept it, but do not make the negative message become obvious in your “buffer” either, giving a false impression can trigger a bad response.

Having this in mind, commence with the conclusion of your “buffer” by letting them know why you are mentioning the negative message. If done exactly like it is been mentioned, your “buffer” will certainly soften the impact and there is no doubt your employees will come to an agreement. After you have finished explaining the reasons to your upcoming message it should slowly slide over to the negative message naturally.

Expressing the negative message:

This is where the challenge is met the most, expressing the negative message. Take very good precaution when you give out the negative message, make sure it is as brief as possible. Do not emphasize the message with repetition that will simply give the person the wrong impression of your message. Try to reason instead by suggesting what can be done to prevent the complaint.

Avoid highlighting the errors or pointing out what they did not do. Instead try to have a positive attitude to what you are mentioning. You may mention the effects it has caused such as; “When you drop the.... it will.....” is an example of how you may mention it. Remember you want to emphasize the negative message to your employees but you also want them to learn form it.

Finally the polite close, on the polite close you want inform them with additional reasons for the negative message, notify them what can be the effects to the company if this continued or give examples of other companies and there mistakes and what happened. Also you may mention the advantages competitors may have over you if such problem continues. By mentioning these factors you rise up awareness to your employees of the conditions and without doubt your employees will be more aware. In the final, close politely.  Let the person know that you care, and so you would prevent the idea that it is O.K. to keep doing so.

First Page: Negative Messages are not bad after all