How can you use the three-act structure to communicate change initiatives?

Change initiatives can be challenging to communicate effectively, especially when they involve complex, uncertain, or controversial issues. How can you craft a clear and compelling message that engages your audience and motivates them to take action? One way is to use the three-act structure, a storytelling framework that can help you organize your ideas, create emotional resonance, and deliver a satisfying outcome. In this article, you will learn how to apply the three-act structure to communicate change initiatives in your internal communications.

1 What is the three-act structure?

The three-act structure is a classic storytelling technique that divides a story into three parts: the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution. The setup introduces the main characters, the context, and the problem or opportunity that triggers the change. The confrontation raises the stakes, creates conflict, and shows the challenges and obstacles that the characters face. The resolution resolves the conflict, shows the consequences, and reveals the transformation or learning that the characters experience.

Add your perspective

Farhia Jabbar

Marketing and Communications Professional
Report contribution
Frame the change as a narrative with a clear beginning (current state), middle (change process), and end (desired outcome). Start by establishing context, then introduce the change with its purpose and benefits, and conclude by outlining the path forward. This structure provides a cohesive and engaging framework for communicating change initiatives.

Like
Felipe Soto Cristo

Consultor y Coach en Desarrollo de Equipos y Desempeño | Desarrollo Organizacional | Comunicaciones Internas | Coaching Laboral
(edited)
Report contribution
Por experiencia, en momentos de cambio, es crucial tener una comunicación interna oportuna y transparente para superar obstáculos y avanzar hacia el éxito. Primero: reconocemos que algo necesita cambiar. Luego, compartimos información y nos comprometemos a tomar las acciones necesarias para adaptarnos y trabajar juntos. Finalmente, celebramos y reconocemos los casos de éxito, donde la adaptación, alineación y colaboración entre los miembros del equipo nos llevan hacia un futuro exitoso (entender el cambio, actuar juntos y celebrar los logros)

Translated

Like
Layla Machado

Gerente de RH I DHO | Recrutamento TECH | Psicologia organizacional | Transformação digital em RH | Experiência do Colaborador I Clima e Cultura
Report contribution
Na perspectiva de um líder de RH, a estrutura de três atos pode ser aplicada da seguinte forma: No primeiro ato, é possível introduzir a necessidade da mudança, destacando os desafios atuais e a visão para o futuro da organização. No segundo ato, o foco pode ser na implementação da mudança, comunicando os planos e estratégias, envolvendo os colaboradores e abordando possíveis resistências. No terceiro ato, pode-se enfatizar os benefícios da mudança, celebrar marcos e sucessos, e reforçar a visão de longo prazo, garantindo que a mensagem seja clara, motivadora e alinhada com os valores da empresa.

Translated

Like
Mariana Waetemann

Comunicação | Empreendedorismo I Employer Branding I Transformação Digital | Gestão de Mudanças (Certified PROSCI®)
Report contribution
Para comunicar iniciativas de mudança eficazmente, utilize a estrutura de três atos: Estabelecimento para apresentar desafios e a necessidade de mudança; Confrontação, onde se detalham os planos de ação, enfrentando obstáculos com a participação ativa dos colaboradores; e Resolução, mostrando os sucessos e o impacto positivo. Enfatize a colaboração e o engajamento através de canais de feedback e histórias reais. Esta abordagem transforma a estratégia de mudança em uma narrativa envolvente, incentivando a aceitação e o comprometimento, e destacando a mudança como um progresso contínuo.

Translated

Like

2 Why use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

The three-act structure can help you communicate change initiatives for several reasons. First, it can help you simplify and clarify your message by focusing on the essential elements of the story. Second, it can help you create interest and curiosity by presenting a clear problem or opportunity, a compelling goal, and a series of twists and turns. Third, it can help you connect with your audience emotionally by showing the impact of the change on the characters, their struggles and successes, and their growth and change. Fourth, it can help you inspire action by showing the benefits and value of the change, the steps and resources needed, and the call to action.

Add your perspective

Iqra Mahmood

Govt of Punjab | Communications Strategist | Government Relations & Public Affairs | Policy & Social Impact | Digital Media Promotion | Monitoring & Evaluation
Report contribution
The three-act structure isn't just a storytelling trick; it's a powerful engagement tool for change initiatives. It grabs attention with a relatable "before" state, builds anticipation with challenges and setbacks, and ultimately inspires action with a triumphant "after." This clear narrative arc simplifies complex details, sparks curiosity, and evokes emotional investment, making your message unforgettable and motivating. Try weaving personal stories, highlighting both wins and hurdles, and showcasing the positive impact—people connect with journeys, not mere facts. So, ditch the dry data dumps and embrace the drama; your change initiative deserves a standing ovation!

Like

3 How to use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

To use the three-act structure for change initiatives, you need to identify the key components of your story and map them to the three acts. To do this, consider questions such as: who are the main characters of your story? What is the current situation or status quo? What is the problem or opportunity that initiates the change? What is the goal or vision that the change aims to achieve? What are the main challenges or obstacles that the characters face in pursuing the change? How do they overcome them or cope with them? What are the risks or costs of not changing? What are the conflicts or tensions that arise among the characters or stakeholders? How do the characters achieve or fail to achieve the change goal? What are the outcomes or results of the change? How do the characters change or learn from the change? And what are the next steps or actions that the audience needs to take?

Add your perspective

4 Examples of the three-act structure for change initiatives

To illustrate how the three-act structure can be used for change initiatives, here are some examples of possible stories for different scenarios. For instance, when introducing a new software system to improve productivity and collaboration, the main characters are the employees who use the old system. This system is slow, outdated, and prone to errors, thus hindering work efficiency and quality. The goal is to adopt a new system that is faster, modern, and reliable, which can enhance work performance and satisfaction. The main challenges are the learning curve, resistance to change, and technical glitches that occur during the transition. The risks are loss of productivity, data, and trust. Conflicts arise between early adopters and late adopters, managers and staff, or IT teams and users. If successful, the characters can improve their productivity and collaboration while reducing errors and stress. Outcomes include increased customer satisfaction, revenue, and employee engagement. The characters also become more skilled, confident, and adaptable. Feedback should be provided after implementation in addition to sharing best practices and celebrating achievements. In another scenario involving a new policy to promote diversity and inclusion, the main characters are employees from different backgrounds with identities and perspectives. The current situation lacks diversity and inclusion leading to bias, discrimination, and underrepresentation; however there is an opportunity to create a more diverse culture which can foster innovation, collaboration, and growth while becoming an industry leader in diversity and inclusion. Obstacles include lack of awareness, commitment, or resources which require learning about diversity/inclusion as well as embracing change while allocating time/money for potential backlash/conflict/loss of talent. Tensions exist between majority/minority groups or leaders/employees or internal/external stakeholders. If successful in implementing the policy there will be improved creativity/productivity/retention as well as enhanced reputation/competitiveness/social impact with characters learning from each other while appreciating/empowering each other. It is important to monitor progress afterwards while soliciting feedback or recognizing contributions.

Add your perspective

Victoria Louvari

Building impactful bonds, one word at a time | Devoted to meaningful dialogues and conversions | Certified HR Professional
(edited)
Report contribution
"Been there" example: Fantastic news, team! We're making things super cool for us! Changes are happening to make teamwork even better. Team roles are like getting a fun upgrade for us to understand each other better. Change might feel a bit weird but don't worry, we've got your back with easy training and extra support. Our big goal? Teams working together smoothly for big wins! Get ready for some fun team-building and special training just for us! We'll keep you updated and celebrate every step. Cheers to awesome teamwork coming our way!

Like

5 Tips for using the three-act structure for change initiatives

To use the three-act structure effectively for change initiatives, you should choose stories that are relevant, realistic, and relatable to your audience. Make sure they are clear, concise, and coherent. Additionally, stories should be engaging, emotional, and persuasive. Lastly, they should be actionable, valuable, and memorable. To achieve this, incorporate hooks, questions, and surprises to capture your audience's attention; use emotions, values, and beliefs to connect with your audience's feelings; use evidence, logic, and testimonials to convince your audience's reasoning; use calls to action, incentives, and deadlines to motivate your audience to act; use benefits, solutions, and outcomes to show your audience the value of the change; and use repetition, imagery, and metaphors to make your audience remember the change.

Add your perspective

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Thais Nascimento

Culture & Marketing Manager at Qiado GmbH | Internal Communication | Employee Engagement
(edited)
Report contribution
From my point of view, in addition to the three-act structure, is important to answer in the early beginning the question “why is it relevant for me?”. If people understand the importance of the topic they tend to pay more attention to the detail that comes next and to engage with the change.

Like

How can you use the three-act structure to communicate change initiatives?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is the three-act structure?

2 Why use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

3 How to use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

4 Examples of the three-act structure for change initiatives

5 Tips for using the three-act structure for change initiatives

6 Here’s what else to consider

Internal Communications

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Internal Communications

More relevant reading

How can you use the three-act structure to communicate change initiatives?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is the three-act structure?

2 Why use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

3 How to use the three-act structure for change initiatives?

4 Examples of the three-act structure for change initiatives

5 Tips for using the three-act structure for change initiatives

6 Here’s what else to consider

Internal Communications

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills