The Executive Summary Formula for Work
How to Write Summaries That Busy Leaders Actually Read
Why Your Summaries Get Ignored
You spend hours on a report or proposal. You send it to the executive. Days pass. No response. The problem isn't your analysis. It's your structure. Most professionals write summaries like essays: background first, then analysis, then conclusion. But executives read the opposite way: they want the answer first, then they'll decide if they need the details. This formula flips your structure so you communicate like executives think.
The BLUF Formula
B - Bottom Line
State your main point, recommendation, or request in the first sentence. Example: 'I recommend we proceed with Vendor A for the CRM implementation.'
Action Item:
If someone only reads this sentence, they should know what you want.
L - Logic
Give 2-3 supporting reasons in order of importance. Example: 'Three factors support this decision: (1) lowest total cost of ownership, (2) fastest implementation timeline, and (3) best integration with our existing systems.'
Action Item:
Use numbers to make scanning easy. Most important reason first.
U - Urgency
Explain why this matters now and what happens if delayed. Example: 'We need a decision by Friday to lock in the Q1 pricing before rates increase 15% in February.'
Action Item:
Create urgency without panic. Facts, not drama.
F - Forward Action
Specify exactly what you need from the reader. Example: 'Please confirm your approval via email by Thursday EOD, or let me know if you'd like to discuss.'
Action Item:
Make the next step crystal clear. Remove all ambiguity.
Complete Example
**Situation:** You need executive approval for a budget increase. **Before (Buried Lead):** 'As you know, we've been working on the customer portal redesign for the past three months. The team has made excellent progress, but we've encountered some unexpected technical challenges with the legacy integration. After reviewing several options with the engineering team...' [Executive stops reading here] **After (BLUF):** '**Bottom Line:** I'm requesting a $50,000 budget increase for the customer portal project. **Logic:** This additional investment is necessary because: (1) legacy integration requires custom middleware we didn't anticipate, (2) without it, we'll miss our March launch date, and (3) delaying launch costs us approximately $30,000/month in manual processing. **Urgency:** We need to engage the middleware vendor by January 20th to stay on schedule for March launch. **Forward Action:** Please approve the budget increase by Friday, or let's schedule 15 minutes to discuss alternatives.' [Executive knows exactly what you need and why in 20 seconds]
Quick Templates
Recommendation
I recommend [action]. This will [benefit] because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3]. We need to decide by [date] to [consequence of delay]. Please [specific action] by [deadline].
Status Update
[Project] is [on track/at risk/behind]. Key update: [most important news]. Next milestone: [what's coming] by [date]. I need [decision/resource/approval] by [date] to stay on schedule.
Problem Escalation
We have a [severity] issue with [topic] that requires your attention. Impact: [what's affected]. Recommended solution: [your proposal]. I need [decision] by [date] to resolve this before [consequence].
Pro Tips
Write the summary LAST
Even though it appears first
Keep it under 150 words
If you can't, you don't understand it well enough
Use bold for critical information
Highlight the most important points
One recommendation per summary
Multiple asks dilute all of them
Test for clarity
Can someone forward your email and the recipient immediately understands?
Robert Cushman
I help Latin American tech professionals communicate with executive-level confidence so they can close bigger contracts, command premium rates, and advance their international careers.
After coaching 200+ professionals from Smarttie, Grupo Kopar, Terramar Brands, and Sourceability, I know that what separates good from great in high-pressure meetings isn't vocabulary—it's leadership communication.