internal-comms
by alirezarezvaniinternal-comms helps teams draft and sequence employee-facing change communications for reorgs, layoffs, tool rollouts, policy changes, leadership transitions, and internal launches. It uses ADKAR, Kotter, brief templates, and Python scripts to generate announcements, FAQs, manager talking points, and a touchpoint calendar.
This skill scores 84/100, which means it is a solid listing candidate for directory users who need agent-assisted internal change-management communications. The repository provides enough workflow substance, scripts, templates, triggers, and reference material for an agent to execute with materially less guesswork than a generic prompt, though installation/setup guidance could be clearer.
- Strong triggerability: the frontmatter names concrete use cases such as all-hands announcements, change comms, re-org announcements, manager talking points, and layoff comms, and explicitly excludes customer-facing comms.
- Operationally useful artifacts: the skill includes three stdlib-only scripts that generate a communication package, a Kotter-labeled announcement, and a sequenced ADKAR touchpoint calendar.
- Good progressive disclosure and trust signals: supporting references document ADKAR, Kotter, internal-comms canon, and announcement anti-patterns, while the brief template gives users a practical input structure.
- No install command or README is present in the skill path, so users may need to infer setup from the broader repository or skill runner conventions.
- The workflow depends on preparing a structured `comms_brief.json`; although a template exists, adoption still requires careful input gathering for sensitive events like layoffs or re-orgs.
Overview of internal-comms skill
What internal-comms is for
internal-comms is a business-operations skill for drafting and sequencing employee-facing change communications. It is built for internal-only moments such as reorgs, tool rollouts, policy changes, leadership transitions, layoffs, acquisitions, benefits changes, and internal product launches. The job is not “write a polished announcement”; it is to produce a usable comms package: announcement, FAQ, manager cascade notes, follow-up messaging, and a touchpoint calendar.
Best-fit users and decisions
The internal-comms skill is strongest for Heads of People, BizOps leads, chiefs of staff, internal communications owners, and operators who need to turn a sensitive change into a structured communication plan. It helps decide timing, owner, channel mix, audience segmentation, and what not to say. It is especially useful when employees need behavioral clarity, not just awareness.
What makes this skill different
Unlike a generic prompt, internal-comms combines Prosci ADKAR sequencing with Kotter’s 8-step change model and includes stdlib-only Python helpers. The scripts can produce a Kotter-labeled announcement, a 7-touchpoint calendar, ADKAR-tagged artifacts, and warnings for common failure modes such as Slack-only layoff announcements, missing manager cascade, or tone mismatches for disruptive changes.
When it is not a fit
Do not use internal-comms for customer announcements, PR statements, investor messaging, marketing launches, or legal determinations. It can help structure employee communications, but it does not replace HR, employment counsel, securities counsel, works council consultation, or executive approval for high-risk changes.
How to Use internal-comms skill
internal-comms install and first files to inspect
Install the internal-comms skill from the repository with:
npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill internal-comms
Then read the files that affect real output quality:
SKILL.mdfor scope, triggers, workflow, and constraintsassets/comms_brief_template.mdfor the input brief formatscripts/comms_template_filler.pyfor ADKAR-tagged package generationscripts/change_announcement_builder.pyfor Kotter-compliant announcement draftingscripts/comms_calendar_builder.pyfor sequencing and channel warningsreferences/announcement_anti_patterns.mdbefore sending sensitive draftsreferences/change_management_canon.mdandreferences/internal_comms_canon.mdfor the operating model behind the skill
Build a complete comms brief first
The skill works best when you supply a concrete brief, not a vague request. Useful inputs include change type, magnitude, effective date, affected audiences, business reason, concrete deltas, decision owner, channels available, manager role, risks, known objections, and what is still unknown.
A weak prompt is:
Write a reorg announcement for engineering.
A stronger prompt is:
Use the internal-comms skill for a high-magnitude reorg. Platform and Infrastructure are merging into one Platform Engineering group on June 15. 82 employees are affected. Reporting lines, on-call rotation, and roadmap ownership change. Decision owner is the CTO; managers need talking points before the all-hands. Available channels: manager cascade, email, allhands, Slack, intranet. Main employee concerns: role security, manager changes, promotion timing, and on-call load. Produce the announcement, FAQ, manager talking points, and sequencing calendar.
Run the helper scripts when you want repeatability
The repository includes deterministic Python scripts that can be run locally after filling comms_brief.json from assets/comms_brief_template.md:
python3 scripts/comms_template_filler.py --input comms_brief.json --output markdown
python3 scripts/change_announcement_builder.py --input comms_brief.json --profile scaleup --output markdown
python3 scripts/comms_calendar_builder.py --input comms_brief.json --output markdown
Profiles include tech-startup, scaleup, enterprise, public-company, and non-profit. Choose the profile based on governance and tone, not aspiration. For example, public-company should be more conservative than tech-startup.
Practical internal-comms usage workflow
Start with the brief, generate the package, then review in this order: calendar, manager cascade, announcement, FAQ, follow-up. Calendar comes first because sequencing mistakes create trust failures even when the announcement sounds polished. For high or disruptive changes, verify that managers are briefed before broad announcement, synchronous channels are included, and the FAQ answers the obvious employee questions directly.
internal-comms skill FAQ
Is internal-comms only for large companies?
No. The internal-comms skill can help startups, scaleups, enterprises, public companies, and non-profits, but the adoption value differs. Small teams benefit from clarity and sequencing; larger organizations benefit from audience segmentation, manager cascade discipline, and repeatable review artifacts.
How is this better than asking for an announcement draft?
A normal prompt may produce a fluent message but miss change-management mechanics. internal-comms explicitly pushes for ADKAR stages, Kotter steps, channel sequencing, manager readiness, FAQ coverage, and anti-pattern checks. That matters when the risk is not grammar but employee trust, comprehension, rumor control, and behavioral adoption.
Can beginners use the internal-comms skill?
Yes, if they use the brief template. Beginners should avoid starting with “make this sound better” and instead gather facts: who is affected, what changes, why now, what employees must do, what managers should say, and what cannot yet be answered. The skill is structured enough to guide non-specialists, but sensitive events still need experienced review.
When should I avoid using this skill?
Avoid it when the audience is external, when the message needs legal negotiation before drafting, or when leadership has not decided the actual change. The skill can surface gaps, but it cannot fix a missing decision, contradictory policy, or unapproved people-impact plan.
How to Improve internal-comms skill
Give internal-comms sharper facts and constraints
The most important improvement is better input specificity. Include exact dates, affected segments, channels, decision makers, magnitude, required actions, and known employee concerns. If the change is negative, say so plainly. The scripts intentionally flag tone problems, so hiding a layoff or disruptive reorg behind “exciting update” reduces output quality.
Review for common failure modes
Use references/announcement_anti_patterns.md as a pre-send checklist. Watch for passive accountability, vague business reasons, missing manager guidance, no follow-up, overuse of Slack for disruptive news, or an FAQ that avoids the questions employees will actually ask. These are not style issues; they are adoption and trust risks.
Improve prompts with audience segmentation
Ask for outputs by audience when the impact differs. For example, separate messaging for directly affected employees, indirectly affected teams, managers, executives, and support functions. This helps the internal-comms skill produce more useful FAQs and talking points because each group has different Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement needs.
Iterate after the first output
After the first draft, do not only request a shorter or warmer version. Ask targeted follow-ups: “Which Kotter step is weakest?”, “What obvious FAQ question is missing?”, “Where does the tone mismatch the magnitude?”, “What should managers know before employees ask?”, or “Which touchpoint should happen before T+0?” This turns internal-comms from a drafting aid into a practical Workplace Communication review system.