Writing Resources

Principles for clear, effective business writing.

Core Philosophy

Good business writing is an act of service to your reader. Every document answers these questions:

• Who is the audience?
• What do they need to know?
• Why should they care?

Writing Principles

1. No Adverbs or Weasel Words

These let you avoid specifics:

2. Be Specific

Lead with data and evidence:

3. No Inside Baseball

Use terms the reader understands:

4. Remove Passive Voice

Declarative statements with a clear subject:

5. So What?

Say why it matters:

6. Tell the "Why" Briefly, Explain the "What"

Don't bury readers in background. Context should be brief; the substance should be clear.

Executive Review Tips

Adapted from advice I received before senior leadership reviews:

Mindset

• Be positive and show excitement - if you're not excited about your work, why should they be?
• Stay open-minded and humble - reviews exist to push your thinking, not validate it
• Have fun - you're getting access to experienced judgment; use it

Answering Questions

Answer first. If someone asks you a question, start with the answer:

• "No"
• "42"
• "$2.3M"

Then provide the context and mental model that explains it. Don't start with storytelling before the answer.

Don't guess. If you don't have an answer, say so and commit to follow up. Speculation destroys credibility.

Don't dig when you're in a hole. If you realize you're wrong or underprepared, stop talking. Acknowledge the gap and move on.

Don't create unnecessary surface area. Stay focused on the question. Don't introduce tangents, even interesting ones. You can follow up later.

Preparation

• Have backup materials ready (key metrics, initiative details, segment cuts)
• Anticipate what reviewers will ask based on their priorities
• Pre-wire important points with key stakeholders before the meeting

Document-Specific Tips

Status Updates

• Lead with status (green/yellow/red)
• Focus on changes since last update
• Call out blockers and asks explicitly
• Keep it scannable - bullets, not paragraphs

Recommendations

• State the recommendation first
• Show your work (supporting arguments)
• Acknowledge tradeoffs honestly
• Make the ask clear - what do you need from the reader?

Escalations

• Problem first - what's wrong?
• Impact - why does it matter?
• Options - what are the choices?
• Recommendation - what should we do?
• Ask - what do you need?

Executive Summaries

A note on exec summaries: they can be counterproductive if they're too long or leave holes that require reading the full doc anyway. Consider either:

• A very short summary (1-2 paragraphs) with a longer body, or
• No summary at all; just start with your main point

Before You Send

The 24-Hour Test

If possible, write it, sleep on it, edit in the morning.

The "So What?" Test

For every paragraph, ask: "So what?" If you can't answer, cut or rewrite.

The Readability Test

• Read it aloud. Where do you stumble?
• Can someone skim it in 30 seconds and get the point?
• Would a new team member understand it?

The Audience Test

• Who is reading this?
• What do they already know?
• What action do you want them to take?

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Too long - if you can't make it shorter, you don't understand it well enough
• ❌ Burying the lead - put the main point first
• ❌ Data without insight - numbers need interpretation
• ❌ Hedging - if you're not sure, say so; don't hide behind weasel words
• ❌ Passive voice - take ownership of statements

Resources

• The Pyramid Principle - Barbara Minto
• On Writing Well - William Zinsser
• The Elements of Style - Strunk & White

Clear writing is clear thinking. If you can't write it clearly, you don't understand it well enough yet.