Leading Change (Level 1)

A complete 90-minute session that teaches managers to announce a change well: write it down, tell the right people first, give the real reason, and answer the hard first questions honestly.

Who it is for

• Small-business owners who have a change coming, such as new hours, a new system or a new rule, and want their managers to announce it without losing people's trust.

• Managers, supervisors and shift leads who are asked to announce changes they did not decide.

• Project leads who need several teams to hear about a change in the right order.

• Trainers, HR and L&D professionals who need a ready-to-run change communication session they can deliver this month.

The problem it solves

Most changes at work are sound ideas. Many still struggle in the first weeks, because people heard about them late, in the wrong order, from a group message, with a reason like "to improve efficiency," and with nowhere to take their questions. This kit gives managers six plain steps for every announcement (get clear on the change, plan who hears first, explain the reason, make the announcement, answer first questions, set the next check-in) and lets them practice all six on a realistic change, including the uncomfortable questions about pay, jobs and fairness that people really ask.

What is inside

The six steps of announcing a change: Get clear on the change, Plan who hears first, Explain the reason, Make the announcement, Answer first questions, Set the next check-in.

In-person kit

• Facilitator guide, 47 pages (Word): how to use the kit, session overview and agenda, a plain-language primer on announcing a change (including when someone else made the decision), the six steps in depth with examples for five kinds of workplace, answers to the questions participants ask, a preparation checklist, eight timed segments with SAY / DO / ASK / WAIT cues, the Scenario A script, answer keys, the change packets at a glance, tricky moments, a 30-day follow-up plan and ways to adapt the session.

• Slide deck, 27 slides (PowerPoint), with speaker notes that repeat the guide's cues and timing.

Virtual kit

• Virtual facilitator guide, 36 pages (Word), with a producer cue sheet, polls, chat prompts and the breakout texts for every change packet.

• Producer run sheet, 4 pages (Word).

• Virtual slide deck, 30 slides (PowerPoint), with PRODUCER actions in the notes.

Workbook and handouts

• Participant workbook, 20 pages (Word and PDF), including a question-sorting practice, a change plan for a real change and a two-week log.

• One-page job aid: the six steps of announcing a change (1 page).

• Handout 1: Change summary and who hears first, with a filled-in example (2 pages).

• Handout 2: Six change packets with first-question cards, set in a dental clinic, a roofing company, a clothing store, a warehouse, an accounting office and a café (3 pages).

• Handout 3: The reason in plain words, with a worked example, words to watch and rewrite practice (2 pages).

• Handout 4: Announcement planner, spoken and written, with a filled-in example (2 pages).

• Handout 5: First questions, with three kinds of honest answer and observer notes (2 pages).

• Handout 6: Check-in plan, with a filled-in example (2 pages).

• Answer key for the facilitator (3 pages).

How to use it

1. Read the facilitator guide and complete the workbook yourself (about three hours).

2. Print the workbook and handouts, and one change packet per table.

3. Run the 90-minute session in person or online. Every step tells you what to do, what to say, what to ask and when to wait.

4. Use the 30-day follow-up plan so the six steps are used on the next real change.

No training experience is needed. If you can run a team meeting, you can run this session.

Formats and file types

• Word (.docx): facilitator guides, producer run sheet, participant workbook. Fully editable.

• PowerPoint (.pptx): in-person and virtual decks with speaker notes. Fully editable.

• PDF: participant workbook, job aid, handouts and answer key, ready to print.

• Fonts: Fraunces and Nunito Sans (free from Google Fonts).

• Licensed for internal use by the purchasing organization.

Frequently asked questions