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The draft announcement was one paragraph long. “From Monday, all teams will use the new client handover process. Please review the updated template before then.”
“That tells people what to do. What does it tell them about why?” Bruna asked. Dylan paused. “That the current handovers are inconsistent.” “And what will change for them on Monday?” “They’ll use one shared brief when a client moves between teams.”
“Then they need to know that. And they’ll want to know whether this is final, who it affects, and where to ask questions.” Dylan leaned back. “I was trying to keep it brief.” “Brief is good,” Bruna said. “Leaving people to guess isn’t.”
The decision behind the message
The teams in Ireland, London and Brazil had been handing client work to one another in different ways. Important details sometimes arrived late or were missing. Dylan had decided to introduce a shared handover brief, starting with a four-week trial on Monday.
The decision was made. The details of the trial could still be improved. Bruna asked him to separate those two things: what was settled, and what the team could still shape.
A clearer announcement
Subject: A shared client handover process — four-week trial starts Monday
Hi everyone,
From Monday, we’ll begin a four-week trial of a shared client handover brief across the Ireland, London and Brazil teams.
We’re introducing it because our current handovers don’t always include the same information. That can make it harder for the next team to pick up the work smoothly.
During the trial, please use the new brief whenever a client moves between teams. The template and a short guide are attached. The process is new, so we’ll review how it’s working and make adjustments based on your feedback.
Bruna will collect questions and suggestions during the first two weeks. You can reply to this email or raise a point in your next team meeting. We’ll share an update after the first review.
Thank you for helping us make this work across teams and time zones.
Dylan
Bruna read it through. “It says what’s changing, why, when, and what people should do. It also tells them what can still change.” Dylan nodded. “And it doesn’t pretend we know exactly how the trial will go.”
Questions arrive
A colleague in London asked, “Does this apply to every client handover, or only international ones?” Dylan started to type, then stopped. “We haven’t defined that clearly.” “Then let’s clarify it before Monday,” Bruna said. They checked the details and updated the guide.
Another colleague asked whether the old process should stop immediately. Bruna suggested a direct answer: “From Monday, please use the shared brief instead of the old handover document. If you’re already working on a handover that’s in progress, finish it using the current process.”
When people disagree
One reply was more challenging: “I’m concerned this will add more admin when the teams are already busy.” Dylan began to write that the template should save time. Bruna stopped him. “That may be true, but it doesn’t answer the concern. Acknowledge it first.”
“Thanks for raising this. We know the first weeks may take extra time while everyone learns the process. The trial is intended to help us see whether the shared brief makes handovers smoother. Please tell us what feels repetitive or unnecessary, and we’ll review it with the team.”
Dylan reread it. “We’re not promising it will solve everything.” “No,” Bruna said. “You’re explaining what you hope it will do, and inviting people to help assess it.”
A message that keeps the conversation open
By the time Dylan sent the announcement, it did more than give instructions. It gave the team enough context to understand the decision, act on it, and raise concerns.
“Next time, I’ll bring you the message before it’s one paragraph long,” Dylan said. “Bring me the decision first,” Bruna replied. “Then we’ll make the message clear.”