Extreme Clarity

Good business communication is extremely clear. It needs to be skimmable, clear, precise, and memorable. Here's how to achieve that:

1. Make it skimmable:

   1. Tl;drs. Always.

   2. Make your point bolded / in headers.

   3. Lists > paragraphs. Easier to digest and less intimidating. Pro tip: Numbers are better than bullets for quick reference.

2. Make it clear.

   1. State your objective. Lead with the “why.” Inform? Align? Escalate?

   2. Provide context. You know your area better than your audience, esp. execs.

   3. Avoid acronyms / jargon.

   4. Highlight the crux of disagreements. Don’t gloss over why you’re escalating.

   5. Use scorecards for options. State your criteria and score green / yellow / red. Always include your recommendation.

3. Make it precise.

   1. Unambiguous language. Objective facts > subjective descriptions. (No adverbs, please.)

   2. Represent data accurately. Be mindful of relative vs. absolute figures, and include confidence intervals when relevant.

   3. Link off for more info. Point people to analyses or references for going deep.

4. Make it memorable.

   1. Tell a story.

   2. Include quotes / videos and other anecdotes (esp. from users).

   3. Use visuals.

   4. Highlight striking information. Data with drama sticks.

   5. Be expressive. Don’t be afraid to add your personality (emoji, memes, gifs)...in moderation.