Write an effective executive summary

Another long report and yet another executive summary that is 10 pages long. Participants at our report writing programs have been asking recently for some tips on how to condense their executive summaries into a one page document. This is indeed a challenge – but certainly achievable. Next time you need to draft an executive summary, give thought to the following tips:

1. When writing your report, keep track in a separate document of the key messages from each section of the report. Ensure that these key messages are written as you would say them out loud and do not contain more than 2 verbs to ensure brevity.

2. As you write your report, use the highlighter available in the Word function keys to allow key words to stand out from the document. These key words need to be carefully selected as they form the crux of the message you are delivering.

3. Once you have a document that is made up of your key messages as well as highlighted words from the main report, you have the tools to commence writing the executive summary. Ask yourself:

• If anyone read these key messages would they know in a nutshell what the report was about?
• Is there too much detail in the key messages that could remain in the main document without preventing the reader from understanding the intention of the report?
• Is there any detail that has been omitted without which the report would not make sense?
• Think about who would read the executive summary as in some instances, the reading community for the report might not read the full report at all. Is there sufficient information there for those readers?

4. Once you have the key messages clarified, check that you have covered all the main points contained in the words that you have highlighted throughout your main document. There might be additional words that you might need to include in the summary document.

5. You are now ready to write the summary itself. Begin with a first draft that uses full sentences to explain the key points of the report. Use no more than 2 verbs per sentence.

6. Read the first draft of the summary out loud. Check that it sounds good to the ear and that it makes sense in plain English as you would read it to the stakeholders who need to understand the report. If the reader does not understand what is being said at first reading, you are not communicating effectively. The burden of understanding the report is not on the reader – it is on you as the writer of the document.

7. Once the draft copy sounds good and is easily understood, complete the editing process:

• Complete the spellcheck
• Check your word usage and that the most appropriate words have been selected. Refer to your highlighted key words to ensure that these are also included in the executive summary so that the whole document flows well and is based on the same language usage.
• Check for jargon that readers might not understand in the executive summary as not all readers might read the full document.
• Ensure that you have not launched into lengthly descriptions. Work on using words carefully and keep your writing tight. Constantly think of better ways of expressing yourself that are not flowery and as brief as possible.
• Ask someone you know to read the summary for you and to provide you with feedback. This will provide you with another perspective.
• Finalise the document and then try to sleep on it before submitting it the following day as a fresh look at the summary one final time, might reveal other areas that could be polished.