Executives have 47 seconds to read your report. Maybe less. In a world of information overload, the ability to distill complex findings into a compelling one-pager is a superpower.
Most AI-generated summaries are too long, too vague, or too focused on what happened instead of what it means. This framework teaches you to prompt AI for executive summaries that get read, get remembered, and get acted upon.
Summarize this report for the CEO.
Create an executive summary for this market analysis report. AUDIENCE: CEO preparing for quarterly board meeting DECISION CONTEXT: Whether to expand into the European market in Q3 SUMMARY REQUIREMENTS: 1. One page maximum (250-300 words) 2. Lead with the recommendation and why it matters now 3. Include 3 key findings that support the recommendation 4. Quantify the opportunity (revenue potential, market size) 5. Address the top risk and mitigation approach 6. End with specific next steps and who owns them TONE: Confident, direct, data-driven. No hedging language. SOURCE MATERIAL: [PASTE REPORT HERE]
The One-Page Rule
If your executive summary is longer than one page, it is not an executive summary. It is a regular summary that executives will not read.
This constraint is not arbitrary. Research shows that busy leaders make better decisions when given concise information. Amazon famously banned PowerPoint in favor of six-page memos - but those memos start with a one-page summary.
The One-Page Formula
- 250-300 words- The sweet spot for a dense but readable summary
- 5-7 paragraphs- Or equivalent bullet structure
- 3-5 key points- More than 5 and nothing is key
- 1 clear ask- What do you need the reader to do?
Insight
The CORE Framework
CORE is a four-part structure for executive summaries that ensures you include what matters and leave out what does not. Every executive summary should answer these questions in this order.
Context
Outcomes
Recommendations
Evidence
Warning
C - Context: Set the Stage
Context answers “why are we talking about this?” in 2-3 sentences. It connects the summary to something the executive already cares about.
Write the context section for an executive summary. SOURCE: [PASTE YOUR REPORT/ANALYSIS] REQUIREMENTS: - Maximum 3 sentences - Connect to a known business priority or decision - Create urgency without being alarmist - Avoid jargon and acronyms BAD EXAMPLE: "This report presents findings from our Q4 analysis." GOOD EXAMPLE: "Our Q4 sales declined 12% despite increased marketing spend. This analysis identifies why and what to do about it." The context should make the executive think: "I need to read this."
O - Outcomes: Lead with Results
Outcomes are the “so what” of your analysis. What did you discover? What changed? What is the bottom line? Use numbers, not adjectives.
Write the outcomes section for an executive summary. SOURCE: [PASTE YOUR REPORT/ANALYSIS] REQUIREMENTS: - 3-5 bullet points maximum - Each point starts with a metric or finding - Quantify everything possible (percentages, dollar amounts, timeframes) - Order by impact, most important first - No methodology or process descriptions FORMAT EACH POINT AS: [Metric/Finding]: [What it means for the business] EXAMPLE: - Customer churn increased 23% in Q4: $1.2M annual revenue at risk - Enterprise segment grew 34% while SMB declined: Product-market fit shifting upmarket - Support tickets per customer doubled: Onboarding issues creating retention risk
Pro Tip
R - Recommendations: Tell Them What to Do
Recommendations are why executives read summaries. They want to know what action to take. Be specific about who should do what by when.
Write the recommendations section for an executive summary. SOURCE: [PASTE YOUR REPORT/ANALYSIS] AUDIENCE: [WHO WILL APPROVE/ACT ON THESE] REQUIREMENTS: - Maximum 3 recommendations (prioritized) - Each recommendation includes: Action, Owner, Timeline, Expected Impact - Recommendations should be decisions, not more analysis - Include resource requirements if significant FORMAT: 1. [ACTION VERB] [SPECIFIC ACTION] - Owner: [Role/Team] - Timeline: [By when] - Impact: [Expected result with numbers] AVOID: - "Consider exploring..." - "We should investigate..." - "It might be worth..." PREFER: - "Launch X by Q2..." - "Allocate $Y to Z..." - "Hire N people for..."
E - Evidence: Prove Your Case
Evidence supports your recommendations with the most compelling proof. Not all the data - just the data that matters. If executives want more, they will ask.
Write the evidence section for an executive summary. SOURCE: [PASTE YOUR REPORT/ANALYSIS] RECOMMENDATIONS: [THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU ARE SUPPORTING] REQUIREMENTS: - 2-3 data points per recommendation maximum - Choose evidence that is: surprising, actionable, or validates a known concern - Include comparison points (vs. last year, vs. target, vs. competitor) - Reference source/methodology in one line if credibility matters FORMAT: Supporting [Recommendation 1]: - [Data point with source]: [What this proves] - [Data point with comparison]: [Why this matters] AVOID: - Repeating findings from Outcomes section - Including data that does not support a recommendation - Methodology details (save for appendix)
Prompt Templates by Report Type
Different report types require different emphasis. Use these templates as starting points for common executive summary scenarios.
Create an executive summary of this research report.
RESEARCH DOCUMENT: [PASTE HERE]
AUDIENCE: [Leadership team, board, investors]
PURPOSE: [Decision being informed by this research]
SUMMARY STRUCTURE:
1. CONTEXT (2-3 sentences)
- What question did this research answer?
- Why does the answer matter now?
2. KEY FINDINGS (3-5 bullets)
- Most surprising or important discoveries
- Quantified where possible
- Ordered by strategic importance
3. IMPLICATIONS (2-3 bullets)
- What these findings mean for our strategy
- Opportunities identified
- Risks revealed
4. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS (2-3 items)
- Specific next steps based on findings
- Who should act and by when
5. METHODOLOGY NOTE (1 sentence)
- Sample size, timeframe, confidence level
CONSTRAINTS:
- Maximum 300 words
- No academic language
- No hedging ("might suggest", "could indicate")
- Lead with findings, not processCreate an executive summary of this financial report. FINANCIAL DATA: [PASTE HERE] PERIOD: [Month/Quarter/Year] COMPARISON PERIOD: [vs. prior period, budget, forecast] AUDIENCE: [CFO, Board, Investors] SUMMARY STRUCTURE: 1. HEADLINE (1 sentence) - Net result vs. expectation in one line 2. KEY METRICS TABLE | Metric | Actual | Target | Variance | Format: Revenue, Gross Margin, EBITDA, Cash Position 3. PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS (3 bullets) - What went well and why - Quantified wins 4. AREAS OF CONCERN (2-3 bullets) - What missed and why - Impact on future periods 5. OUTLOOK ADJUSTMENT - Any changes to forward guidance - Key assumptions 6. ACTIONS REQUIRED - Decisions needed from this audience - Approvals being requested TONE: Factual, balanced, forward-looking. No excuses.
Create an executive summary for this project proposal. PROPOSAL DOCUMENT: [PASTE HERE] AUDIENCE: [Approving executive/committee] ASK: [Budget amount, headcount, timeline approval] SUMMARY STRUCTURE: 1. THE OPPORTUNITY (2-3 sentences) - What problem are we solving? - Why is now the right time? - What happens if we do nothing? 2. PROPOSED SOLUTION (3-4 bullets) - What we want to do (high level) - Why this approach over alternatives - Key differentiators 3. BUSINESS CASE - Investment required: $X over Y months - Expected return: $Z or [metric improvement] - Payback period: N months - Risk-adjusted ROI: X% 4. TIMELINE & MILESTONES - Phase 1: [Outcome] by [Date] - Phase 2: [Outcome] by [Date] - Full deployment: [Date] 5. RISKS & MITIGATION - Top 2 risks and how we address them 6. THE ASK - Specific approval being requested - Decision deadline and why TONE: Confident, investment-focused, honest about risks.
Create an executive summary of this market analysis. ANALYSIS DOCUMENT: [PASTE HERE] MARKET: [Industry/segment being analyzed] STRATEGIC QUESTION: [What decision will this inform?] SUMMARY STRUCTURE: 1. MARKET SNAPSHOT - Total addressable market: $X - Growth rate: Y% CAGR - Our current share: Z% 2. KEY TRENDS (3-4 bullets) - Most important market shifts - Quantified where possible - Timeframe for each trend 3. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE - Market leader and their position - Emerging threats - Our relative position 4. OPPORTUNITIES (2-3 bullets) - Where we can win - Estimated value of each opportunity 5. THREATS (2-3 bullets) - What could disrupt our position - Likelihood and impact 6. STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS - What this means for our strategy - Recommended market positioning - Key decisions to make TONE: Analytical, forward-looking, action-oriented.
Create an executive summary of this technical assessment. TECHNICAL DOCUMENT: [PASTE HERE] AUDIENCE: [Non-technical executives who need to understand implications] CONTEXT: [Why this assessment was done] SUMMARY STRUCTURE: 1. BOTTOM LINE (2 sentences) - Overall assessment: Good/Concerning/Critical - Key implication for the business 2. WHAT WE FOUND (3-4 bullets) - Translate technical findings to business impact - Use analogies for complex concepts - Quantify risk where possible (downtime hours, data records, etc.) 3. RISK ASSESSMENT | Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Priority | Keep to 3-4 most important risks 4. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS - Immediate (within 30 days) - Short-term (within quarter) - Long-term (within year) Include rough cost/effort for each 5. IF WE DO NOTHING - Likely consequences - Estimated cost of inaction LANGUAGE RULES: - No jargon without explanation - No acronyms (or define on first use) - Focus on business outcomes, not technical details - Use "which means..." to connect tech to business
Writing for Different Audiences
The same information needs different framing depending on who is reading it. Here is how to adjust your executive summary for different audiences.
For the CEO
Focus on: Strategic implications, competitive position, growth opportunities, major risks. They want the “so what” for the entire business.
For the Board
Focus on: Governance, fiduciary concerns, major risks, long-term strategy. They need to fulfill oversight duties and ask good questions.
For Investors
Focus on: Financial performance, growth metrics, market opportunity, path to profitability. They evaluate risk/return tradeoffs.
For the Team
Focus on: What it means for their work, resource allocation, priorities, recognition of contributions. They need to understand their role.
Adapt this executive summary for a different audience. ORIGINAL SUMMARY: [PASTE HERE] ORIGINAL AUDIENCE: [Who it was written for] NEW AUDIENCE: [Who you need to reach now] ADAPTATION GUIDELINES: 1. Keep the core findings - change the framing 2. Reorder priorities based on what this audience cares about 3. Adjust technical depth to match audience expertise 4. Change the "ask" to something this audience can actually do 5. Modify tone (board: formal, team: direct, investors: growth-focused) MAINTAIN: - One-page length - CORE structure - Factual accuracy OUTPUT: Adapted executive summary optimized for the new audience.
Visual Elements and Formatting
How your summary looks matters almost as much as what it says. Busy executives scan before they read. Good formatting helps them find what matters.
Use White Space Strategically
Dense text signals “this will take effort to read.” Break up paragraphs, use bullets, add space between sections. Let the page breathe.
Bold Key Numbers and Findings
When someone scans, their eyes catch bold text. Make sure the bolded items tell the story even if nothing else is read.
Use Tables for Comparisons
Actual vs. Target. This Quarter vs. Last. Us vs. Competitor. Tables make comparisons instantly clear.
One Chart Maximum
If you include a visual, make it count. One chart that proves your main point is better than three charts that dilute attention.
Format this executive summary for maximum scannability. CONTENT: [PASTE YOUR DRAFT SUMMARY] FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS: 1. Add clear section headers 2. Convert long sentences to bullet points where appropriate 3. Bold the 5-7 most important numbers or findings 4. Create a comparison table if relevant data exists 5. Ensure no paragraph exceeds 3 lines 6. Add a "Bottom Line" callout box at the top OUTPUT FORMAT: Markdown with formatting that will render well in: - [ ] Google Docs - [ ] PowerPoint - [ ] Email - [ ] PDF The summary should be fully comprehensible from a 10-second scan.
Common Executive Summary Mistakes
Even strong analysis gets ignored when the summary has these problems. Here is what to avoid and how to fix it.
Mistake: Starting with Background
“In Q3 2024, our team conducted a comprehensive analysis of...” Executives do not care about your process. Start with findings.
Fix: Lead with “We should [action] because [finding].”
Mistake: Burying the Recommendation
Putting “We recommend...” on page 2, after all the evidence. Many readers never get there.
Fix: Recommendation goes in the first paragraph or immediately after a one-sentence context.
Mistake: Hedging Everything
“This could potentially indicate that we might want to consider...” If you are not confident enough to state it clearly, do more analysis.
Fix: State findings as facts. Note uncertainty separately if material.
Mistake: Including Everything
Trying to summarize every finding. If everything is important, nothing is.
Fix: Ask “What does the reader need to decide?” Include only that.
Mistake: Vague Recommendations
“We should focus more on customer retention.” Focus how? Do what specifically?
Fix: Every recommendation needs: action, owner, timeline, expected outcome.
Insight
Next Steps
The CORE framework gives you a reliable structure for executive summaries. But every report is different. AskSmarter.ai helps you build customized prompts for your specific content, audience, and goals.
Build your executive summary prompt
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