Executive Summary Skill
Writes executive summaries that busy decision-makers actually read — front-loaded with conclusions, structured for skimming, ruthless about what to include.
Required Inputs
- Source document or topic (paste or describe)
- Audience (CEO / board / investor / minister / client / committee)
- Decision or action needed (what should the reader do after reading?)
- Length limit (1 page / 2 pages / 500 words)
- Format (formal report / slide / email / briefing paper)
Core Principle
An executive summary is NOT a summary of the document. It is a standalone document that:
- States the conclusion upfront — not at the end
- Contains only what the reader needs to make a decision
- Can be understood without reading anything else
- Recommends a specific action
Output Structure
[Title]
Executive Summary Prepared for: [Audience] | Date: [Date] | Author: [Name]
Bottom line up front: [The most important thing. The recommendation or finding. 2-3 sentences. A reader who only reads this should know what you are asking or telling them.]
Background (why this matters): [2-3 sentences. Minimum context to understand the bottom line. Not the history — just what the reader needs now.]
Key findings / analysis:
- [Finding 1]: [One sentence — specific and evidence-based]
- [Finding 2]: [One sentence]
- [Finding 3]: [One sentence]
Options considered: (include only if a decision is being presented)
| Option | Benefit | Risk | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Option A] | [Benefit] | [Risk] | Recommended |
| [Option B] | [Benefit] | [Risk] | Not recommended |
Recommendation: [Specific. "We recommend [action] because [reason]. This will [outcome]." Not "we suggest consideration of options."]
Immediate next steps:
- [Action 1 — specific, with owner and date]
- [Action 2]
Risks of inaction: [What happens if the reader does nothing]
Full report: [Reference to where the full document can be found]
Adapting for Different Audiences
CEO/MD: Lead with financial or strategic impact. 1 page. Make the decision binary. Ask in sentence one. Board: Lead with governance or risk. Frame against organisational objectives. State specifically what you need from them. Investor: Lead with return or opportunity. Specific numbers. 1 page. Anticipate "why now." Minister/senior public sector: Lead with public benefit or policy alignment. Include cost-benefit framing. Client: Lead with their problem. Show you understand before presenting recommendation.
Scoring Rubric (0–40)
Score any output of this skill before handing it over; 32+ is ship-quality.
| Dimension | 0 | 5 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom line placement | Conclusion appears only at the end, after chronological summary | Recommendation appears early but hedged, or split across sections | The ask or finding is unambiguous within the first three sentences and repeated nowhere it doesn't need to be |
| Standalone completeness | Unreadable without the source document; leans on unexplained references | Mostly standalone but assumes context the named audience may lack | A reader with no other material can understand the situation and decide from this page alone |
| Actionability | "Options for consideration" with no owners, dates, or stated ask | Recommendation is specific but next steps lack owners or dates | Specific recommendation, next steps each with owner and date, and risks of inaction quantified |
| Audience fit & length | Author-priority framing, over the length limit | Fits the limit but framing is generic — same summary would go to any audience | Framed to the named audience's decision context (financial/governance/return/policy) and within the limit |
Quality Checks
- Bottom line in first 3 sentences
- Standalone — no need to read full document
- Recommendation is specific
- Fits length limit
- Written for audience priorities not author priorities
- Next steps have owners and dates
Anti-Patterns
- Do not summarise the document chronologically — an executive summary that follows the structure of the source document is not an executive summary, it is an abstract
- Do not bury the recommendation at the end — executives read the first paragraph and skim the rest; the ask must be in sentence one or two
- Do not use the same summary for different audiences — a CEO and a board member have different decision contexts and require different framing
- Do not include background that the reader already knows — every sentence of background must earn its place by making the bottom line more actionable
- Do not leave the "risks of inaction" section vague — a summary that does not quantify what happens if the reader does nothing removes the urgency needed for a decision
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write an executive summary of this report: [paste]"
- "Summarise this document for the board: [paste]"
- "Create a one-pager from this proposal for the CEO"
- "Turn these findings into an exec summary"