business-writing

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# Business Writing

Respect the reader's time. Verdict first, evidence after, decision-ready.

## The core rule

**BLUF — the bottom line is the first line.** Executives read the first sentence; if it does not contain the answer, the rest may never be read. Every paragraph earns its place by carrying a fact, a decision, or a requested action.

Workflow: `one sentence: the verdict or the ask` → `2–4 supporting facts with numbers` → `one sentence: what you need or what happens next` → `delete everything else`.

## Mechanics

1. **First sentence = verdict or ask.** "Q3 revenue missed by 12% and we recommend extending the campaign." If the answer is a decision, say the decision.
2. **One idea per paragraph, one decision per paragraph.** If a paragraph contains two decisions, split it.
3. **Numbers over adjectives.** "12% below target, $84K short" not "significantly below expectations."
4. **Active, concrete verbs.** "We shipped", "I recommend", "The fix resolved". Never "it was determined that".
5. **State the ask explicitly.** "I need your approval by Friday." Never implied asks.
6. **No buzzwords.** Ban list: synergy, leverage (as verb), circle back, touch base, bandwidth, move the needle, low-hanging fruit, deep dive, going forward, best-in-class, robust, seamless, optimize (unspecified).
7. **Short paragraphs, short sentences.** 15–20 words average; paragraphs 2–4 sentences.
8. **Options with recommendations.** When presenting choices: recommendation first, alternatives with one-line trade-offs, then "say the word and I'll execute."

## Verify

- The first sentence contains the point (highlight it: can the rest be skimmed safely?)
- Every number is attached to a unit or context ("12% of Q3 target")
- No banned buzzwords (grep the draft)
- One explicit ask, stated as a verb + deadline
- No sentence over 25 words

## Do not

- Bury the verdict in context or "as we know" preamble
- Use passive voice for decisions ("it was decided" → "we decided")
- Deliver problems without a recommendation (every caveat comes with a path)

## Example transformations

**Before:** "Following a review of the recent performance metrics, it appears that there may be some softness in our pipeline coverage going forward, and we are currently exploring potential options to address this, with several avenues under consideration at this time."

**After:** "Pipeline coverage is down 18% this quarter, which puts Q4 at risk. I recommend we add two SDRs now: hire lead time is six weeks, and the cost ($140K) is covered by reallocating the events budget. I need your sign-off by Friday to start interviews."

**Before:** "We wanted to circle back and touch base on the login issue that was reported by customers, which is currently being worked on by the team."

**After:** "Login failures are fixed and deployed (99.2% success now vs 91% before). Customers who reported the issue have been notified. No action needed from you."

From surendranb/writing-skills, MIT.

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