Executive communications

How to write an executive brief with Claude: one page, clear recommendation, everything the exec needs and nothing they do not.

An executive brief is a high-stakes communication where more is worse. Claude drafts the structure and the language. You validate the recommendation and the facts.

THE SHORT VERSION
Executive briefs fail for one reason: too much information that obscures the recommendation. Claude defaults to the pyramid structure (conclusion first, then support), which is what executives need. Give it the situation and what you want decided; it drafts the brief in 15 minutes.
Bill Colbert
Treetop Growth Strategy — Updated May 2026
The structure

What an executive brief needs to contain

A well-structured executive brief answers five questions in order: What is the situation? What is the decision or action needed? What are the options? What is the recommendation and why? What is needed from the executive right now?

Executive brief prompt
Write a one-page executive brief for [decision maker: CEO / CFO / board] on the following situation: Situation: [describe in 2-3 sentences] Decision needed by: [date] Options considered: [list 2-3 with one-line description each] Recommended option: [what you are recommending] Rationale: [why this option, briefly] Key risk: [the main risk and how you plan to mitigate it] What you need from them: [approval / funding / direction] Format: Pyramid structure. Recommendation first, then situation context, then options analysis, then rationale, then risk, then ask. Maximum one page. No jargon.
Common variations

Adapting the brief for different situations

For investment decisions: Add a financial summary section before the rationale: investment required, expected return, payback period.

For risk or crisis situations: Lead with the risk severity and timeline, then move to recommended response, then options considered.

For board-level decisions: "Now create a 3-slide version of this brief for a board presentation: one slide per: situation and recommendation, options and rationale, ask and next steps."

Time estimate: One-page executive brief: 15-20 minutes with Claude, 15-20 minutes of editing. Versus 90 minutes to 2 hours writing from scratch.

The editing pass

What to check before you send

Before the brief goes out, verify: (1) The recommendation is actually what you intend to recommend. (2) Every factual claim is accurate and verifiable. (3) The ask section is specific: vague asks do not drive decisions. (4) The tone matches the relationship you have with this executive: Claude defaults to formal.

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