When taking the direct approach in dealing with bad news, what is the first element of the message?

A) Announcing the bad news
B) Providing an explanation for the news
C) Putting the news in context to soften it
D) Assuming responsibility for the mistake
E) Announcing how the problem will be fixed, or prevented, in the future

Answer: A
Explanation: A) The first step in any direct format communication is stating the reason for writing, or, as this case, announcing the bad news