Long-form strategic memos — the "6-pager" pattern Bezos made famous — are powerful tools for forcing clarity. They are also painful to write well. Claude accelerates the drafting; the strategic thinking stays human. Here is the workflow.
Slide decks let you skip the hard work. Bullets without arguments. Charts without conclusions. The reader fills in gaps based on what they want to hear.
A real memo forces complete sentences, complete arguments, and the writer must commit to specific claims. The Bezos 6-pager pattern (long-form Word doc, read silently at the start of the meeting) is the gold standard.
1. The headline (1 paragraph). The decision being requested or the position being argued.
2. Background (1 page). Context everyone needs.
3. The argument (2-3 pages). Why we should do X. Evidence. Reasoning.
4. The counter-argument (1 page). Why we might be wrong. Honest.
5. The recommendation. Specific decision being requested.
6. The appendix. Data, sources, alternative options considered.
Write a strategic memo on [TOPIC].
The decision being requested: [SPECIFIC]
The audience: [WHO READS THIS — board, leadership, etc]
My POV: [WHAT I AM ARGUING FOR]
Key evidence supporting my position: [LIST]
Known counter-arguments: [LIST]
What happens if we do not decide: [STATUS QUO COST]
Write the memo in 6-pager structure:
1. Headline paragraph — the decision
2. Background — minimum context to understand the decision
3. Argument — why we should decide YES, with specific evidence
4. Counter-argument — honest steelman of why this might be wrong
5. Recommendation — what specifically we are committing to
6. Appendix items needed
Voice: confident, direct, intellectually honest. Avoid hedging language ("perhaps", "might consider"). The writer commits to a position.
Length: 5-6 pages of body. Tight.