Have you ever used email to apologize to a colleague? Delivered a 26 to a subordinate (下属) with a voice-mail message? Flown by plane across the country just to deliver important news in person? The various communication options at our fingertips today can be good for 27 and productivity—— and at the same time very troublesome. With so many ways to communicate, how should a manager choose the one that's best—— 28 when the message to be delivered is bad or unwelcome news for the recipient? We've 29 business communication consultants and etiquette(礼仪) experts to come up with the following guidelines for 30 using the alternative ways of delivering difficult messages.

First of all, choose how personal you want to be. A face-to-face communication is the most 31 . Other choices, in descending order of personalization, are: a real-time phone call, a voice- mail message, a handwritten note, a typewritten letter, and the most 32 is email. Some of these may change order according to the 33 situation or your own preferences; for example, a handwritten note might seem more personal than voice-mail. How do you decide on the best choice for the difficult message you've got to deliver? " My 34 concern is: How can I soften or civilize this message?" says etiquette expert Dana Casperson. "So when I apologize, I usually choose in-person first, or a phone conversation as my top alternative, and maybe a handwritten note next. Apologizing by email is something I now totally 35 ."