At some point, everyone will have to deliver bad news. The bad feelings associated with this type of message can be alleviated if the receiver knows the reason for the bad news, feels the news is revealed sensitively, thinks the matter is treated seriously, and believes that the decision is fair. When applying these strategies, make sure to follow the writing process and determine whether to use a direct or an indirect pattern in your message. Determine what strategy should be used in the following situation. You are demoting an employee to avoid laying them off. Direct Indirect If you put bad news at the end of your email, you .