Texsox Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I was reading a slate article about the missing plane and how the airline is getting some heat for using text messages to inform family members that the airline believes everyone died. Later it is reported that this was after calling and trying to speak directly with everyone. What is considered today as acceptable ways to deliver bad news? In the old days of the 20th century delivering bad news (not just life and death stuff) was always face to face. It was considered rude and a terrible breach of etiquette to tell someone for example that they were fired over the phone, via mail, etc. Always face to face. Now it seems that a phone call is an acceptable substitute. How many people have received bad news via facebook status messages? So when do we use email? mass email? Text? Facebook? Phone? When do we just have to get in front of the person and tell them face to face? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabiness42 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Clearly the best way to convey bad news to a large group of people is a blue flag with a big white 'L' on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigruss Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 QUOTE (Tex @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 09:59 AM) I was reading a slate article about the missing plane and how the airline is getting some heat for using text messages to inform family members that the airline believes everyone died. Later it is reported that this was after calling and trying to speak directly with everyone. What is considered today as acceptable ways to deliver bad news? In the old days of the 20th century delivering bad news (not just life and death stuff) was always face to face. It was considered rude and a terrible breach of etiquette to tell someone for example that they were fired over the phone, via mail, etc. Always face to face. Now it seems that a phone call is an acceptable substitute. How many people have received bad news via facebook status messages? So when do we use email? mass email? Text? Facebook? Phone? When do we just have to get in front of the person and tell them face to face? What about messages of those who passed away in wars sent by telegram or letters? It may be a terrible method, but when you need to do mass communications it's not always feasible or timely to do it any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 10:04 AM) Clearly the best way to convey bad news to a large group of people is a blue flag with a big white 'L' on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2HH Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 QUOTE (Tex @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 09:59 AM) I was reading a slate article about the missing plane and how the airline is getting some heat for using text messages to inform family members that the airline believes everyone died. Later it is reported that this was after calling and trying to speak directly with everyone. What is considered today as acceptable ways to deliver bad news? In the old days of the 20th century delivering bad news (not just life and death stuff) was always face to face. It was considered rude and a terrible breach of etiquette to tell someone for example that they were fired over the phone, via mail, etc. Always face to face. Now it seems that a phone call is an acceptable substitute. How many people have received bad news via facebook status messages? So when do we use email? mass email? Text? Facebook? Phone? When do we just have to get in front of the person and tell them face to face? This is just another one of those "the kids are all right" moments in time. Things change, time marches on, and what were once tried and true methods for a plethora of reasons fall by the wayside and something different replaces them, for a whole different set of reasons that will one day be questioned again. The previous generation almost always feels these changes are for the worse, but for the current and future generations, they actually tend to change for the better. Is email or text less personal than having a complete stranger deliver the news face to face? I don't think so in this case. A stranger is a stranger whether via text, email or in person. Also, it's important to keep in mind that in this current day of fast moving information, if you want to be the one that breaks the news, waiting until you see this person may be too little too late, they'll probably have already heard by the time this meeting occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Just get the news to me, I don't need someone calling me or talking to me face to face, just make sure I receive it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 25, 2014 -> 12:56 PM) Just get the news to me, I don't need someone calling me or talking to me face to face, just make sure I receive it. That’s actually part of the argument. If you send something via text, email or FB there’s a chance the person won’t get the message. At least with a phone call or F2F you know for sure they got it. Honestly though, it really depends on the importance of the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettie4sox Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 It's subjective. It seems to be the norm to shift away from the face to face only because you have different venues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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