Exercise 1.2: communicating bad news (Pg-40) (Jordan)

Exercise 1.2: communicating bad news (Pg-40)

1. the purpose is let the employees know that because of the mad cow disease, the plant has to limit their production so some of the workers have to be laid off. Let the employees know that this is a very serious problem; the plant can do nothing until the government lift the ban. Because mad cow disease makes people die and we have to stop produce beef related products. promise the employees they are laying off not because they did anything wrong, let them know they are very important to the plant and they are very welcome to come back as soon as the ban lifted.
2. I’d like to use the idea mapping to spread my primary message. I would like to have as many supporting ideas as possible to my main idea. For example, my main idea is notice the employees that 25 percent of them are going to be laid off because mad cow disease limited our beef productions. The supporting ideas would be 1. the way to notice them; 2. how well to minimize their bad feelings; 3. give them promise( one third of the salary in the three months nonproduction time); 4. let them know we can do nothing about it until the government lift the ban, so we won’t blame on the you
3.



Date: May 21, 2006

To: All the Staff at Nebraska Plant

From: Jason Starnes ( President of Superior Foods Corporation)

Subject: Mad Cow Disease Ceased Our Beef Production

On December 23, 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture had announced that bovine spongiform encephalopathy had been discovered in Washington State. It looks like we need to limit our beef products in the next three months until the ban lifted. I understand this is a terrible period for everybody. I am sorry to tell you we will have 25percent of our workmates laid off. The good news is they are very welcome to come back when the government lifts the ban.

Please await further notice.