BUS 303: Advanced Professional Skills

Spring 2017

Direct and Indirect Writing Patterns

The direct pattern is effective for conveying positive or neutral messages. It gets to the main point early and directly. This approach uses the following pattern:

(1) Main point of the message

(2) Explanation of details or facts

(3) Goodwill closing

The indirect pattern is effective for conveying low-stakes negative messages. It is also called the sandwich technique, because it involves placing a negative message between two positive messages. This pattern starts with a positive message because research shows that people form impressions very quickly when reading correspondence. A typical indirect pattern would be:

Goodwill opening with context

Explanation or buffer

Bad news or negative message

Goodwill closing

Remember that it is important to be sincere and authentic when relaying negative messages. In addition, although the indirect pattern is useful for delivering low-stakes bad news, urgent bad news should be communicated directly (e.g., If we dont replace this mechanical part immediately, people will be in danger). In addition, be careful not to include so much bread in the sandwich that the recipient misses or misunderstands the important meat of the message.

Examples of ineffective bad news messages:

The workforce reduction is currently in progress and your position has been eliminated.

Your application for the position of Records Administrator at Southtown has been rejected. We have found someone more qualified than you.

All employees should report to our office by noon on Thanksgiving Day so that we can send out holiday orders.

Using the indirect pattern described above, write improved versions of the three ineffective messages.

a) _______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

b) _______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

c) _______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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