business-communication

Put the ask or news in the first line using the BLUF structure, follow with 2-3 bullets of reasoning, and close with who does what by when. Subject lines should carry the verb, like "Decision needed: launch date".

An executive summary is the document itself for most readers, not an introduction. Lead with findings and your recommendation including key numbers, keep it to one screen, and attach detailed analysis separately rather than inlining it.

Deliver bad news in the first sentence, since delay reads as concealment. Then cover what happened, the impact, what you are doing about it, and when they will hear next, with one apology rather than several.

Client communication needs a warmer opening, zero internal jargon, and no exposure of internal disagreement, with commitments only you can keep. Peer messages can assume shared context but must make asks exact, such as "review section 2 by Thursday" instead of "thoughts?".

Escalate when you need a specific decision or intervention beyond your authority. State facts before feelings: what was expected, what happened, business impact, what you already tried, and the exact action you need.