Taylor must send a bad-news message to a client and indicate to her that he will be unable to meet a delivery deadline. What should Taylor do first?
A) Select a soothing color of stationery for the message.
B) Gather information about his reasons for not meeting the deadline.
C) Write the opening of his message.
D) Analyze the bad news to see how it will affect his reader.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Before writing a bad-news message, it is important to analyze the situation to understand its implications for the reader. This will help Taylor to anticipate the reader's reactions and provide an appropriate response. Only after analyzing the bad news should Taylor start to craft his message, including selecting the appropriate tone and wording, gathering supporting information, and starting with the opening. Choosing a soothing color of stationery is a less important detail at this stage.

Taylor Must Send a Bad-News Message to a Client and Indicate