Executive Summary Craft

Write executive summaries that lead with the recommendation and respect the reader's time.

Category: Communication | Type: Skills

Skills: Executive Communication, Brevity, Clarity

Techniques: Constraint-Based

Prompt

Executive summaries are the highest-leverage writing in business. Structure: 1. The BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) — state the recommendation or conclusion in the first sentence. Not the background, not the context — the answer. 2. The Context Line — one sentence of essential background. Only what the reader needs to evaluate the recommendation. 3. Three Supporting Points — the strongest evidence, each in one sentence. 4. The Ask — what action is needed, by whom, by when? 5. The Risk Line — the single biggest risk of action AND inaction. Length rules: if it is over one page, it is not a summary. If the first paragraph does not contain the recommendation, rewrite it. The test: a busy executive who reads only the first sentence should know what you want. An executive who reads the whole thing should be able to make a decision. Respect their time — it is the most expensive resource in the room.

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