Writing Executive Briefs

One of the most critical components of effective strategic management is the ability to convey information in writing (formally and briefly) for executive level decision-makers. Decision-makers, en masse, have increasingly less time to initiate, review, weigh, and make the choices necessary to move an organization forward. Many spend large chunks of their days in meetings and catching up with business via Blackberry (sometimes simultaneously). However, they still require key information in order to make strategic operational decisions. At some point, chains of emails or five word phrases on a PDA do not "cut it". This is when a careful, well-structured briefing note comes in.

A briefing note or executive briefing document provides a systematic method of advising and informing senior management on specific issues, and laying out the best course of action under the circumstances. The following is a suggested template for structuring the information:

1. Date
2. Title
3. Topic/Issue
4. Discussion
5. Background
6. Options & Implications
7. Recommendation(s

)It is important that the information convey precisely what is needed to make the decision - nothing more and nothing less. A good briefing note gets to the point quickly, is logical and impersonal, and provides adequate information for the manager to be reasonably confident that the decision made is a good one. While it is unwise to inundate the reader with statistics, comparative tables or key statistics (e.g., demographic, financial) add credibility, inform the decision, and add comfort. A general overview and a description of hints at writing briefing material are as follows:

1. Determine your audience: (first and foremost) and tailor-make the briefing material to suit their needs (e.g., if the audience already knows the topic inside-out, there is no need to exhaustively delineate the background).

2. Avoid personal information: names of people should be avoided (unless strictly relevant to the content of the note).

3. Write it in the objective affirmative: For example, do not write "it appears the program" but rather "the program was designed to...".

4. Keep it short and to the point - limit the note to no more than 3 pages (4 for a highly complex topic or where the decision-maker has had no previous exposure).

5. Get to the issue quickly and early in the document: do not beat around the bush (you can flower it up later if your readers prefer it, but my guess is that they will not).

6. Background should be brief and integrated: fit tightly with, and lead into the issue in a logical, systematic manner.

7. Discussion: again, make it brief; it should describe the immediate antecedents and/or the key events that have resulted in the issue.

8. Options: 1. Worst Case; 2. Best Case 3. Do nothing 4. Most likely case

9. Recommendation: Identify which option is desirable amongst those listed so that risk is (a) avoided where possible, (b) mitigated against in advance, or (c) managed effectively; ensuring the worst case is strategically avoided.

Now that you understand the importance and the topic areas within the briefing note, there is a "best method" of drafting the document. The best method organizes your thoughts in a logical and sequential manner. This order is by no means imperative, but it does ease the process of writing more complex briefing notes and is recommended. The following sequential process is:

1. Issue: Only legitimate issues; get it down quickly in a brief paragraph (2-3 sentences).

2. Background: by all means be descriptive, but don't include superfluous detail; particularly if the issue is widely known by your audience.

3. Discussion: make it relevant, short, and an introduction to options/implications section.

4. Options/Implications: Not exhaustive; outline what is reasonable; make sure implications follow each options; be balanced and objective in your leaning.

5. Recommendations: Can be as short as one sentence (e.g., "Option D - spin off the subsidiary as it has drained cashflow for five years; has a culture inconsistent with the parent company despite change management program to integrate them; and is operating in a fragmented and declining market).

6. Review: Go back and review the note for linearity, logic, and lead-in.Not everybody is a great writer and can string prose together in a descriptive and entertaining manner. For those with less than Shakespearean talent in this area, do not fret. Simply write in bullet form. A business audience reads for content first and punctuation second and not pleasure. Your audience will thank you for your brevity and clarify.

Again, remember, always be brief. If you can say something in one sentence instead of a paragraph, then do that. If a decision-maker requires more information or elaboration, they will ask for it. Last but not least, two words - spell check.