Middle managers are translators, not just messengers
When supervisors only receive a slide deck, they fill gaps with guesswork. Give them questions staff will ask, and the answers they are allowed to give.
Middle managers are asked to brief teams the same afternoon a board decision lands. Handing them a slide deck without rehearsal turns them into loudspeakers. Staff then ask follow-ups the slides never covered, and managers invent answers under pressure.
Treat supervisors as translators. Give them the questions people will actually ask—about overtime, travel between sites, who signs leave forms, and whether appraisals reset—and the answers they are authorized to give. Mark which items still need a sponsor decision.
A short rehearsal, even thirty minutes, reveals gaps faster than another email. Listen for where managers soften bad news too early or overpromise timelines. Adjust the script before the floor briefing.
Change management for established businesses succeeds when the people who already hold trust can speak clearly. Translation support is part of the work, not an optional extra.