--- name: structured-communication description: Framework for presenting recommendations to leadership using Will Larson's structured approach. Use this skill when writing briefs, presentations, or any communication where you need to convey a clear recommendation. Focuses on clarity, structure, and speaking the audience's language. license: Public Domain - Based on published frameworks from "An Elegant Puzzle" by Will Larson --- ## When to use this skill Use this skill when creating structured communications for any audience: - Recommendation briefs and proposals - Leadership presentations - Status reports and strategic updates - Board presentations and investor communications - Cross-team alignment documents - Crisis communications - Resource requests and budget proposals ## The Core Principle: Clarity Over Volume **The fundamental shift**: Lead with your recommendation and the reasoning behind it, not a wall of analysis that asks the reader to draw their own conclusion. **Instead of burying the lead:** - "I wanted to discuss some issues we've been having..." - "Do you think we should consider Y?" - "I've done some preliminary research and found a few options..." **Lead with structure:** - "I recommend we implement X. Here's why." - "Based on my analysis, Y is the optimal approach." - "I need Z resources to execute this plan." ## Will Larson's 7-Step Presentation Framework Based on "An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management" - Section 3.13 ### 1. Tie Topic to Business Value (30 seconds) **Purpose**: Answer "Why should anyone care?" **Format**: 1-2 sentences connecting your topic to business outcomes **Example**: - "We're having issues with our current vendor" + "I recommend switching vendors to save $50K annually while improving service reliability" ### 2. Establish Historical Narrative (30 seconds) **Purpose**: Provide context on how we got here **Format**: 2-4 sentences explaining current state and trajectory **Example**: - "There have been various problems over time" + "Our current vendor has failed to meet SLA requirements for 6+ months, creating compliance risk. Contract renewal is due next quarter, forcing a decision point." ### 3. Explicit Ask (30 seconds) **Purpose**: State exactly what you need from the audience **Format**: Clear, specific request for resources, decisions, or input **Example**: - "I'd like to discuss some options" + "I need budget approval for $200K and your input on team integration" ### 4. Data-Driven Diagnosis (2 minutes max) **Purpose**: Present the evidence supporting your recommendation **Format**: Key metrics, analysis, and constraints that led to your conclusion **Key principles:** - Lead with data, not opinions - Address obvious counterarguments preemptively - Show your work without overwhelming detail ### 5. Decision-Making Principles (1 minute) **Purpose**: Share the mental model behind your recommendation **Format**: 3-5 core principles that guide your approach **Example**: "My framework prioritizes: 1) Risk mitigation first, 2) Cost optimization second, 3) Scalability for 2x growth, 4) Vendor relationship quality, 5) Team development opportunities" ### 6. What's Next and Timeline (30 seconds) **Purpose**: Clear path forward with specific milestones **Format**: Implementation steps with dates and owners ### 7. Return to Explicit Ask **Purpose**: Close the loop and ensure action **Format**: Restate your specific request and check for agreement ## Document Structure Template ### Summary Version (2 pages max) ```markdown # [Topic]: Recommendation ## 1. Business Value & Recommendation [Lead with your conclusion and why it matters] ## 2. How We Got Here [Brief context and timeline] ## 3. What I Need From You [Specific, actionable requests] ## 4. Supporting Analysis [Key data and financial impact] ## 5. Decision Framework [Your guiding principles] ## 6. Implementation Plan [Timeline and next steps] ## 7. Questions & Input Needed [Specific asks for each person in the room] ``` ### Supporting Detail (Appendix) - Detailed financial models - Technical specifications - Risk analysis and mitigation - Q&A scenarios - Contract/legal details ## Common Habits to Watch For ### 1. Burying the Lead - **Habit**: Start with background, build to recommendation + **Stronger**: Lead with recommendation, then provide context ### 2. Indirect Asks - **Habit**: "Can we consider doing X?" + **Stronger**: "I recommend X based on Y analysis" ### 3. Analysis Without Focus - **Habit**: 15-page comprehensive analysis + **Stronger**: 2-page summary + detailed appendix ### 4. Hedging Language - **Habit**: "I think maybe we should..." + **Stronger**: "Based on my analysis, the optimal approach is..." ### 5. Scattered Asks - **Habit**: "I need A, B, C, and also wondering about D" + **Stronger**: "I need X. Here's why and what it enables" ### 6. Problem-First Framing - **Habit**: "We have these terrible problems" + **Stronger**: "Here's the opportunity to improve outcomes" ## Audience-Specific Adaptations ### Technical Leaders (CTO, VP Engineering) - Lead with architectural implications - Focus on technical debt and scalability - Emphasize team impact and development ### Financial Leaders (CFO, Finance VP) - Lead with ROI and cost optimization - Quantify risks in dollar terms - Show budget impact and timeline ### Business Leaders (CEO, COO) - Lead with competitive advantage - Focus on customer and market impact - Connect to strategic initiatives ### Product Leaders (CPO, Product VP) - Lead with user experience impact - Focus on feature velocity and quality - Emphasize customer feedback integration ## Language Patterns ### Clear and Direct - "I recommend..." vs. "What if we..." - "Based on my analysis..." vs. "I think maybe..." - "The optimal approach is..." vs. "One option might be..." - "I need X to execute Y" vs. "Could we possibly get X?" ### Confidence Indicators - Specific timelines and milestones - Clear risk assessment and mitigation - Defined success metrics - Ownership of implementation plan ### Demonstrating Expertise - Reference relevant experience and precedents - Cite industry standards and benchmarks - Show consideration of alternatives - Acknowledge limitations and constraints ## Pre-Meeting Preparation ### Research Phase 1. **Understand each audience member's priorities** 2. **Gather supporting data and benchmarks** 3. **Prepare for likely questions and objections** 4. **Draft 2-page brief + detailed appendix** ### Alignment Phase (Nemawashi) 1. **Share draft with key people individually** 2. **Incorporate feedback and address concerns** 3. **Build support before the group meeting** 4. **Identify and resolve potential conflicts** ### Presentation Phase 1. **Set clear agenda and time expectations** 2. **Deliver framework in order, be ready for detours** 3. **Answer questions directly, acknowledge unknowns** 4. **Document decisions and next steps** ## Success Metrics **You know it's working when:** - The audience asks "What do you need to make this happen?" - Discussion focuses on implementation, not whether to proceed - People contribute ideas to improve your plan - You leave with clear commitments and timelines - Follow-up requests focus on execution details **Signals to recalibrate:** - Asked to "think about it more" or "do additional analysis" - Pushback on basic assumptions or methodology - Requests for multiple alternatives or options - Deferral to future meetings without clear criteria - Focus on problems rather than solutions ## Example Transformation ### Before (Unfocused) "Hi everyone, I wanted to discuss some issues we've been having with our current IT vendor. There have been several problems over the past few months, and I'm wondering if we should consider looking at alternatives. I've done some preliminary research and found a few options that might work better. Would you be willing to support me in exploring this further? I think it could save us money, but I wanted to get your thoughts first." ### After (Structured) "I recommend we transition from Vendor A to Vendor B by Q2. This eliminates our current service failures, saves $75K annually, and improves our compliance posture. Our current vendor has missed SLA requirements for 6+ months with documented service gaps. Contract renewal is due next quarter — we have 90 days to decide or we're locked in for another year. I need budget approval for $200K transition costs and your input on team integration. My analysis shows 18-month ROI with reduced operational risk. The implementation timeline requires immediate action to meet the Q2 target. What questions do you have about this recommendation?" ## Quick Reference Checklist Before sending any structured communication: **Structure**: - [ ] Lead with recommendation and business value - [ ] 2 pages max for summary - [ ] Supporting detail in appendix - [ ] Clear timeline and next steps **Clarity**: - [ ] Written from expertise, not hedging - [ ] Specific asks vs. general "support" - [ ] Direct language ("I recommend" vs. "maybe we should") - [ ] Ownership of implementation plan **Content**: - [ ] Data-driven diagnosis with key metrics - [ ] Decision-making principles clearly stated - [ ] Risk assessment and mitigation included - [ ] Audience-specific input requested **Pre-flight**: - [ ] Audience priorities understood and addressed - [ ] Likely objections anticipated and answered - [ ] Pre-alignment completed (nemawashi) - [ ] Success criteria and timeline defined Remember: **Your expertise + analysis + business case = the foundation of a strong recommendation.** You were hired for your judgment. Use it.