Let your managers drive your company’s change

If you want your employees to go down a new path, try this: Put their direct managers in the driver’s seat.  

Luckily, you don’t even need to give them gas money (whew). Just hand them a road map…in the form of a manager’s toolkit.  

Your company’s people leaders can inspire employees to adopt a new technology, embrace new corporate values or enroll in benefits, often in a hands-on way that’s more influential than top leadership can be. 

In our experience working with communication experts in Fortune 500 companies, effective manager communications need the following:   

• A Step-by-Step Guide for Change – to answer for managers “How did we get here, and why does this matter?” 

• Catalysts for Conversation – to help them understand “How and when do I talk to employees about the change?” 

• Freedom to Fine-tune – so they can confidently know “How do I make this resonate with my specific team?”

A manager toolkit can – and should – include all of the above. It’s an important part of nailing the four-stage process of change communication.

And this stage – the “I understand” part of our tour – is when employees are willing to invest some time to fully grasp what’s happening. It’s when they need to hear what leaders have to say, understand why the change is happening and what it means for them and their work. 

Remember, your employees – and managers – are busy. Make this as easy as possible.   

How to create your step-by-step guide for change 

The blueprint for a high-powered car has everything in its place for a purpose, from the cupholders to the leather detailing. Similarly, company leaders have carefully designed the change happening in your company. Let managers peek into the engineering room and pore over some of those designs.   

To be on board, managers need special insights into the decisions that inspired the final version.  

Ways to share the journey with managers:  

• Tell a story about the business reasons your company is launching a new technology platform.   

• Diagram the new purpose statement to help them grasp the meaning of each word.   

• Create a video message from the CEO about why 100% benefits enrollment is especially important this year.   

How to build your catalysts for conversation  

What we all want in this world (managers included) is a smoother ride. With all the ups and downs in her busy day, a new corporate initiative might drop to the bottom of a manager’s priorities.  

We’ve found communications need to be crystal clear and easy to implement. Bonus points if it’s fun.   

Managers might not feel as equipped to talk to employees as you think, if they don’t have support. A survey conducted by Interact found that 69% of managers are often uncomfortable communicating with employees. Let’s be honest, we all put off what we find ‘uncomfy.’ You’ll need to provide them with the tools they need.  

Ideas for helping managers communicate:   

• Card games with different ethical scenarios on each card for a code-of-conduct launch   

• Themed music playlists to highlight the launch of a new set of values 

• Conversation starters managers can incorporate into their regular meeting cadence 

• Digital recognition walls for managers to feature their direct reports 

How to give freedom to fine tune 

What’s better than a luxury ride? A ride you can customize yourself.  

We suggest encouraging managers to adjust the plan for their cultures and situations to make the launch their own. Customization will also encourage buy-in for the change as managers consider how it might apply to their specific teams.   

Ways to make it customizable:   

• Ask managers to incorporate photos of their direct reports into a PowerPoint presentation 

• Make learning activities workable both for in-person and remote teams 

• Create resources that consider your employees’ diverse working environments, whether it’s the sales floor or the factory floor 

Managers are a powerful force when it comes to transitions. Equipped with the right resources, they have a unique opportunity to be drivers of change.   

What should go in your manager toolkit 

Manager toolkits help people leaders drive change with confidence. The options for resources are endless – but these are the tools many of our clients have found useful:

• Backgrounder – Think of this as a pre-trip tune-up. Give managers a look under the hood with behind-the-scenes insights about why the change was engineered. 

• Inspiration for Leaders – This is a manager’s roadmap for success. Plot the route by showing where the company is heading and why it matters.  

• Leader Checklist – Plan out pit stops and avoid roadblocks. Keep change on track with a quick and simple list of top tasks 

• Conversation Starters – Jump-start discussions with prompts and questions to spark team conversations and turbocharge open dialogue.  

• Learning activities – Make change fun by gamifying it. It’s not unlike searching for license plates or playing Punch Bug. 

• Session Agendas – Steer the conversation by providing a pre-planned agenda for team meetings. This will help keep discussions on course. 

• Change worksheet – Help employees fuel up. Leaders should encourage them to consider what the change means personally.  

• PowerPoint Presentation – This is a navigation guide to help managers drive conversations around change.

• Recognition tools – Celebrate champions of change along the way. Make it easy to recognize employees who embody the change, and empowering employees to recognize each other.  

What else to consider 

The list of tools you decide to include all depends on your priorities. What’s most important is that it’s simple and clear for managers to implement.  

Starting with a core version of a Manager Toolkit, you can create versions specific to different countries and regions. They can be translated into different languages and reviewed by your global managers to ensure the tools make sense for particular regions.    

If you want more support, get in touch and we can help you design the right plan.

Remember, your managers are a powerful force when it comes to transitions. Equipped with the right resources, they have a unique opportunity to be drivers of change.