![]() ![]() A one-page memo controls for the things that tend to get out-of-control in a deck. There isn’t room for flowery language or erroneous details that risk distracting your audience from the core of your recommendation. The one-page length of this document forces you to refine your thinking because there’s only space for essential information. Here’s how to get started writing a compelling one-page memo. But If I distill it down into one page, I’ve done the work to find the answer for you.” “If I tell you everything, it’s because I don’t know what to do with the information – I’m leaving it to you to find the point of my argument. She shared a template from her MBA professor, Bill Pearce, and she convinced me that memos can help build professional credibility while also building a strong case. Nancy Van Brunt, a friend and colleague of mine, turned me on to one-page memos a decade ago. A well-written memo demonstrates your ability to prioritize information and make judgment calls on what’s most important to communicate. And the entire thing is derailed by a question on slide two.ĭecks are fantastic foils to show what you know but when you need to drive a quick (and unwavering) decision, a memo should be your weapon of choice.īest of all, these three skills are core to garnering trust and respect with your peers and leadership team. Sound familiar? Perfectly crafted bullets. We wrapped the meeting and I walked out of the room having no more clarity as to whether or not I was approved to launch my marketing strategy. ![]() The carefully crafted narrative fell to the whim of a few curious execs. An earnest question derailed my presentation and we spent the next 15 minutes pinballing through my deck. I started in my best power pose and - of course - the CEO interrupted me on slide two to ask how this strategy connected with our onboarding plans. I practice-practice-practiced to avoid rambling. Sweating bullets, thinking to myself, “The only thing standing in the way of this brilliant marketing strategy is a 20 minute pitch to the leadership team.” Chances are, most of you have had an experience that goes a little something like this:Īlmost two decades ago, I’m standing at the head of a conference table. We fire up that shiny branded template in Google Slides and get started building a deck. So what do we do? We cling to the familiar. And one where your audience (that busy exec) won’t be too busy to actually read it. One where the author is forced to be both compelling and concise. While I agree with Jeff’s philosophy, I’m going to take it one step further and make the case for confining yourself to a one-page memo. His rationale is compelling when making the case for memos over slides: “the narrative structure of a good memo forces better thought and better understanding of what's more important.” ![]() Memos have come in and out of fashion but were (somewhat) recently re-popularized by Jeff Bezos’ 2004 mandate that all Amazon employees had to write a 4+ page memo before presenting to executives. The simple, repeatable, and limited structure of a memo lends itself well to a tight, uncomplicated storyline. They haven’t yet gone extinct because they’re based on a simple human truth: We’re wired to communicate through narrative but we’re up against an ever-shortening attention span. “Memo” is short for memorandum, and these bad boys have basically been around since dinosaurs (the Smithsonian has one from 1849). Lead the group to a clear outcome (usually an approval). But I’ve been using one-page memos for years (decades!) as a secret weapon to help me:Įngage my audience (peers, leaders, or execs), and These days, there’s a strong preference for slides in the workplace. They’re still used by savvy strategists - at both Fortune 500’s and Series A startups - as a way to quickly and comprehensively cover complex topics, build consensus, and drive action. But I have news for the haters out there: Memos haven’t gone the way of the cubicle. What comes to mind when you hear the word “memo”? Is it Gary Cole’s obnoxious prodding about TPS reports in Office Space? Or maybe for my elder millennial peers out there, it’s Melanie Griffith typing away on a real-life 80’s typewriter in Working Girl?ĭespite fond memories of your favorite office comedies of yesteryear, when I bring up the topic of memos it's usually met with an eye roll and a scramble to change the subject. ![]()
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