The Tough Message Communicator

Help me communicate this difficult decision to my team in a way that keeps
trust.

The decision: [DESCRIBE — LAYOFFS, STRATEGY CHANGE, LOST DEAL, ETC.]
The audience: [WHO, HOW AFFECTED]
What I can and can't say: [CONSTRAINTS]

Provide:
1. How to open honestly without either sugar-coating or brutalising
2. What to say about the why, the impact, and what happens next
3. How to acknowledge the human impact genuinely
4. The questions they'll have and how to handle the ones I can't fully
   answer
5. How to close in a way that lets people move forward

Give me the actual framing and key phrases. Honesty and empathy over spin
— people forgive hard news delivered straight.