DIY whisper course template 

What is a whisper course?  A whisper course is a series of emails, each with a simple suggestion, or “whisper,” for a manager to try in their one-on-ones or team meetings. This template walks you through creating 3-5 “Whispers.” Keep each Whisper short so your participants are more likely to try it. A whisper course can be a standalone learning vehicle, or a post-course email series to help learners apply concepts learned in a live course. Let us know what you come up with! 

 Target audience:    

 Learning objective(s): E.g. “Learners will be able to <action verbs>”     

Check : can the content be broken into small, digestible pieces? 

  

Evaluation strategy: E.g. How will you know that this whisper course made a difference in your target audience’s skills, behaviors or knowledge? What other less obvious metrics might indicate impact?     

Pro tip: Try using Google Forms to collect ratings and feedback.  

This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of use set forth on the Website.

Whisper 1  

Context:  The “what” and “why”       

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”                     

Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note?  Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper 

  

 This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of 

use set forth on the Website.

Whisper 2  

Context:  The “what” and “why”       

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”       

              

Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note?  Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper 

  

 This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of 

use set forth on the Website.

Whisper 3  

Context:  The “what” and “why”       

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”       

              

Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note?  Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper 

  

 

This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of use set forth on the Website.

Whisper 4  

Context:  The “what” and “why”       

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”       

              

Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note?  Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper 

    

This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of use set forth on the Website.

Whisper 5  

Context:  The “what” and “why”       

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”       

              

Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note?  Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper 

  

 This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of 

use set forth on the Website.

Whisper Example: “Acknowledge & Appreciate”  

Context:  The “what” and “why”  Especially coming from you, a little acknowledgement and appreciation goes a long way in validating the work of your team members. This week, pay extra attention to the contributions each person on your team makes, whether big or small — especially if they have not been recently recognized by you or others. Authenticity is crucial here — only use these experiments when you genuinely appreciate what your team member said or did!  

 Call to action, tip or experiment: The ”when” and “how”  In 1:1s, you might say: “I noticed and appreciate the way you [did X]”     In a team meeting, try: “That’s a really thought provoking point that you brought up because…”      

☑ Check: Does the gist of this whisper fit on a sticky note? 

☑ Check: Can it be carried out during a normal workday? 

  

Follow-up reminder:  This could include an additional useful tidbit, or reason to try the whisper  Subject: <Insert name> , does your team know you appreciate them?   Thank you for taking the time to invest in your own development and for taking steps to make <insert organization name> a more psychologically safe and inclusive place, starting with your team.   Here's a gentle reminder to check out the "Acknowledge & Appreciate" whisper.   By the way, have you ever noticed that not everyone likes to be recognized in the same way? In your 1:1s, try asking “how do you prefer to be recognized?” (e.g. privately vs. publicly, over email or in person) 

This content is from rework.withgoogle.com (the "Website") and may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with the terms of use set forth on the Website.