Positive Emphasis Module Seven 2014 The Mc GrawHill

Positive Emphasis Module Seven © 2014 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved Mc. Graw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Some Negatives Are Necessary While business readers generally prefer to see the glass as “half full, ” some negatives may be necessary for readers. In those situations, be tactful in how you present negatives.

Some Negatives Are Necessary To build credibility when giving bad news. To help people to take a problem seriously. 7 -3

Some Negatives Are Necessary In some messages, such as negative performance appraisals, your purpose is to deliver a rebuke with no alternative. Even here, avoid insults or attacks on the reader's integrity or sanity. Being honest about the drawbacks of a job reduces turnover. Sometimes negatives create a "reverse psychology" that makes people look favorably at your product.

Some Negatives Are Necessary ¨ In the situations where negatives are necessary, be tactful in how you present negatives. ¨ We use negatives to: 1. build credibility when giving bad news. 2. help people to take a problem seriously. 3. deliver a rebuke with no alternative.

How do I create positive emphasis? Avoid negative words. Focus on what the reader can do. Justify a negative—give a reason or link it to a reader benefit. Omit unimportant negatives. Put the negative in the middle and present it compactly. 7 -6

Negative Words to Avoid 7 -7

Avoid Negative Words and Words with Negative Connotations Replace negative words with positive words Negative: We have failed to finish taking inventory. Better: We haven’t finished taking inventory. Still better: We will be finished taking inventory Friday. 7 -8

If the Negative Is Truly Unimportant, Omit It Omit negatives entirely only when: The reader does not need the information to make a decision. You have already given the reader the information and he or she has access to the previous communication. The information is trivial. 7 -9

If the Negative Is Truly Unimportant, Omit It Negative: A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is $49. 97. That rate is not as low as the rates charged for some magazines. Better: A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is $49. 97. Still better: A one-year subscription to PC Magazine is $49. 97. You save 43% off the newsstand price of $87. 78. 7 -10

Bury the Negative Information and Present It Compactly To deemphasize a negative, put it in the middle of a paragraph rather than in the first or last sentence, in the middle of the message rather than in the first or last paragraphs. 7 -11

Using Positive Emphasis Ethically The methods to achieve positive emphasis can be misused, so be careful when using them. 9 Don’t omit necessary details. 9 Focus on what the reader can do rather than on limitations only when the situation is appropriate. 9 Presenting information in type large enough to be read easily. 9 Don’t hide meaning by using less common terms.

Why do I need to think about tone, politeness, and power? Tone 9 the implied attitude of the writer toward the reader Don’t use the same tone with a superior as with a peer or subordinate. 7 -13

What’s the best way to apologize? No explicit apology is necessary if the error is small and if you are correcting the mistake. Do not apologize when you are not at fault. When you apologize, do it early, briefly, and sincerely 7 -14