Executive Communication

Executive Communication

BLUF Principle (Bottom Line Up Front)

State the conclusion, recommendation, or ask in the first sentence. Then provide supporting context.

Wrong (journalist pyramid inverted):

We analyzed three options, reviewed the data from Q3, spoke to five customers, and considered the competitive landscape. Based on all of this, we recommend Option B.

Right (BLUF):

We recommend Option B. Here's the analysis that supports this: [evidence]

Apply BLUF to: emails, memos, presentations, Slack messages, meeting openers.

Bezos-Style 6-Page Memo Format

Used at Amazon for any significant decision or proposal. No bullet points — full prose forces clear thinking.

## [Title]

### Introduction (1/2 page)
What is this about? What decision are we making or what problem are we solving?
Written for someone who knows nothing about this topic.

### Background / Context (1 page)
What's the situation? What led to this point?
What have we tried? What do we know?

### Options Considered (1 page)
What alternatives did we evaluate? Why were they ruled out?
Be honest about tradeoffs, not just a straw-man comparison.

### Recommendation (1 page)
What do we recommend, specifically?
What is the implementation plan?
What does success look like?

### FAQ / Objections (1 page)
What are the top 5-10 questions we expect?
Answer them clearly and honestly.

### Appendix (as needed)
Data, models, research citations.

Reading ritual: First 20-30 minutes of the meeting is silent reading. No pre-reads sent — reading happens together to ensure equal preparation.

Executive Presence Elements

Gravitas

• Speak with conviction, not tentatively ("We should do X" not "Maybe we could consider X")
• Take up appropriate space — don't hedge, over-apologize, or minimize
• Be comfortable with silence after making a point
• Own mistakes directly: "I was wrong about X. Here's what I learned."

Communication

• Adjust level of detail for the audience — executives want outcomes, engineers want mechanisms
• Use concrete examples and numbers, not abstractions
• Control pacing — slow down for key points
• End meetings with explicit next steps and owners

Listening as Leadership

• Repeat back what you heard before responding: "What I'm hearing is..."
• Ask questions before forming opinions in high-stakes discussions
• Visibly take notes — signals you value what's being said
• Don't fill silence — let others complete their thought

Cross-Functional Alignment Meeting Structure

Pre-Meeting (send 48h before)

• Decision to be made or outcome desired
• Pre-read materials (max 2 pages)
• Questions to consider before arriving

Meeting Flow (60 min)

Decision Documentation (send same day)

Decision: [What was decided]
Rationale: [Why]
Owners: [Who does what by when]
Open items: [What remains unresolved]
Next check-in: [Date]

Skip-Level Conversations

Purpose

• Understand team health independent of manager filter
• Identify systemic issues not surfacing through hierarchy
• Build relationships with high-potential ICs
• Validate that management layer is working

Question Bank

1. "What's going well that we should do more of?"
2. "What's slowing you down that leadership could fix?"
3. "Is there anything you think leadership doesn't know that we should?"
4. "How's your manager supporting your growth?"
5. "What would make this a place you'd recommend to your best friend?"
6. "What decisions do you see being made that you don't understand the reasoning behind?"

Skip-Level Etiquette

• Tell their manager you're doing it — no surprises
• Don't act on specific manager feedback without full context
• Don't promise confidentiality — you may need to act on what you hear
• Follow up: "Here's what I heard and what we're doing about it"

Difficult Conversations Framework

Prepare

1. What outcome do you want from this conversation?
2. What does the other person likely need?
3. What are the facts vs. your interpretations?
4. Where might you be wrong?

Opening (non-accusatory)

"I want to talk about [specific situation]. I've been thinking about it
and I want to understand your perspective before sharing mine."

Structure: Observe → Impact → Request

Observe: "I've noticed [specific behavior/pattern — no interpretation]"
Impact:  "The impact has been [concrete effect on team/work/you]"
Request: "What I'm asking for going forward is [specific change]"

Closing

• Confirm mutual understanding: "Can you say back what you're taking from this?"
• Set follow-up: "Let's check in on [date] to see how this is going"
• Document if serious: confirm in writing same day

Written Communication Standards

Email

• Subject line = action required or decision/FYI label: [ACTION] Review Q3 budget by Friday
• Total length: under 150 words for most emails
• One clear ask per email
• Never use email for urgent issues — use synchronous channel

Slack/Async

• Lead with context, end with ask
• Use threads — don't post walls into channels
• Reaction emoji = "acknowledged" signal; agree on team conventions
• If a Slack thread exceeds 10 messages, move to a doc or meeting

Presentations

• One idea per slide — if you need two, split it
• Slide title = the conclusion, not the topic: "Revenue grew 34% YoY" not "Revenue"
• Max 3 charts per slide; label axes clearly
• Appendix for everything you might be asked about but don't need upfront

Communication Audit

Run quarterly:

• Are my team's most important decisions documented and findable?
• Do my direct reports know what I'm optimizing for this quarter?
• Are my 1:1s giving me signal or just status updates?
• Am I communicating strategic context down, or just delegating tasks?
• Are my communications BLUF, or am I burying the lead?