Manager Playbook

Playbook

Table of

Chapter 1 - Intro to the Business
Chapter 2 -Organizational Charts
Chapter 3 - Our Products
Chapter 4 - Onboarding

Chapter 5 - Communication

Chapter 6 - Employee 1:1
Chapter 7 - Monthly Manager Meetings
Chapter 8 - Additional Process

Communication

The purpose of this guide is to facilitate the rapid development of strong, positive communication
between a leader and his/her team. It includes tools to guide you through determining severity,
scope and general roles and responsibilities for delivering and following up on important
communication.

Through the next few pages, you’ll find a step by step guide to create effective communication
content and deliver your message through appropriate channels to the appropriate audiences. Click
the links below to skip to a specific step within the process.

Step 1: Impact Matrix
Step 2: Collect Content and Complete Category Checklist
Step 3: Communication Cascade
Step 4: Feedback Loop
Case Study: Level 1 Communication
Case Study: Level 2 Communication

Communication Roles & Responsibilities

Complete Send Cascade and Provide Aggregate Respond to
Checklist Communication Reinforce Feedback Feedback Feedback

Content X X X X X
Originator X X X X
Communications X X
Team
Manager

Target Audience

Indirect Audience

Impact Impact Matrix

The Communication Impact Matrix is a tool that helps determine the level of severity and
reach for your message. By using this tool, you will be directed to a set checklist to easily
determine necessary content, target audience and communication channels appropriate for
the identified category.

Communication Methodology Matrix
5
4
3
2
1
< 100 < 200 < 300 < 400 All
# of People Affected

Complete Category Checklist

Category Checklists are designed to help communicators create message through an easy-to-use
decision tree. By answering a few questions, you will be provided with appropriate communication
channels for each audience your message will reach, create clear content that focuses on critical
information, and be prepared to hand off your message to the Communication Team for formatting
and distribution.

Manager Communication Standards

Learn how to effectively cascade messages to your team and reinforce important communication
already shared through a standardized process. The step by step guide sets clear expectations on
how to execute a standardized team meeting for each impact category.

Standard Work – Communication Reinforcement

1) Determine appropriate communication cadence for team
2) Navigate to Communications Dashboard
3) Filter content & prioritize based on audience

a) Managers should reinforce any Category 3 and 4 topics that impact your team
4) According to established communication cadence, distribute information to team members
5) Field questions and submit to Slido when necessary
6) If applicable, follow up with answers and/or reinforcing the message

Standard Work – Communication Cascade

1) Attend scheduled team meetings and/or read Manager-specific communication as distributed
for Category 5 topics or ad hoc lower-category topics per function

2) Schedule team meeting based on guidance provided
3) Deliver cascade message to team members
4) Field questions and submit to Slido when necessary
5) Ensure you follow up with answers and message reinforcement

Communications Dashboard

The Communications Dashboard tool is available online and updated real-time to provide you with
the most current information to cascade down to your teams.

• Filter the dashboard by department and functional group to view updates specific to your
team

• Sort and filter by category to identify the most critical information
• Search by keyword to locate a specific article
• Utilize the Sli.do link provided within the results to access the feedback channel for that

topic

Feedback Loop

The most critical step in delivering important communication to the business is collecting feedback.
Did we hit he high points? Was the message clear? What questions are still lingering? Every piece of
communication sent will have a unique Sli.do code included for any employee to ask questions or
provide feedback.
As a manager, you are responsible for making your team aware of the Sli.do tool and ensuring they
know how to access and use it. If you can effectively answer questions from your team on the
message, please do so internal to the team. If not, ensure the questions are added to the Sli.do by
you or the team member. All submissions will be answered or responded to in accordance with the
impact category guidelines.

Slido App:

Slido Online:

Level 1 Topic – Halloween Announcement

Stryker Halloween is coming up and it’s time to alert the business! Based on the impact matrix, our
originator determined the announcement to be a Level 1 topic.
The Level 1 checklist determined the types of communications to be send

Following the event, the Slido is still open for additional feedback. Teams can send in any questions
or commentary for the team to implement in the next event. No follow-up messaging was sent.

Level 5 Topic – Leadership Change

Stryker Communications underwent a major leadership change in 2018 with the departure of a
leader and installation of an Interim General Manager. Once the decision on a new leader was made,
all employees needed to be alerted to the news. Based on the impact matrix, our originator
determined the announcement to be a Level 5 topic.
The Level 5 checklist determined the types of communications to be send:

Communication was sent to the target audience based on channels identified in the checklist
outputs – a text alert was sent, an All-Hands meeting was hosted for quick live information sharing,
and follow-up organizational announcements shared with a broader impacted audience:

Level 5 Topic – Leadership Change

Managers followed the cascade guidance provided by the Communications Team and hosted
functional team meetings to reinforce the message, field questions and encourage the team to
engage in feedback via Slido. For those questions asked that the manager could answer, they were
addressed in the live meeting. All others were added to the Slido.

A Slido code was provided to all teams to provide feedback and ask questions over a set period of
time. The Communications Team aggregated all questions received and answered them in follow-
up communications. Managers were also responsible for closing the loop with their teams in
regularly scheduled team meetings.