Executive communication and reporting skill for creating dashboards, status summaries, and board packages. Focuses on actionable insights for leadership.
Creating effective executive communications that drive decisions and action.
This skill provides a framework for:
| Level | Content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Key message in one sentence | 10 seconds |
| Overview | 3-5 key points | 1 minute |
| Detail | Supporting data and analysis | 5 minutes |
| Appendix | Full data for reference | As needed |
| They Want | They Don't Want |
|---|---|
| Clear status (RAG) | Ambiguous status |
| Actionable insights | Information dumps |
| Decisions required | Problems without options |
| Trends and patterns | Raw data |
| Risks and mitigations | Surprises |
| Confidence in team | Excuses |
Audience: Executive team Frequency: Weekly/Monthly Length: 1-2 pages
Sections:
Audience: Sponsor/Executive Frequency: As needed Length: 1 page
Sections:
Audience: Board of Directors Frequency: Quarterly Length: 5-10 pages
Sections:
Audience: Key stakeholders Frequency: Weekly/Bi-weekly Length: 1 page
Sections:
Objective: Understand what the audience needs
Actions:
Audience Questions:
Output: docs/pmo/{date}/audience-analysis.md
Objective: Collect accurate, current data
Actions:
Data Verification:
Output: docs/pmo/{date}/report-data.md
Objective: Extract actionable insights from data
Actions:
Insight Framework:
Output: docs/pmo/{date}/report-insights.md
Objective: Create the executive report
Actions:
Quality Checklist:
Output: docs/pmo/{date}/executive-report.md
Objective: Ensure quality and deliver effectively
Actions:
Pre-Delivery Checklist:
Output: Final report delivered
See shared-patterns/anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations.
| Rationalization | Why It's WRONG | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| "Bad news can wait" | Delayed bad news = worse news. Executives need truth. | Report immediately with context |
| "Too much detail for executives" | Under-reporting creates blind spots. | Provide right level of detail |
| "Green because no complaints" | Silence ≠ health. Verify with data. | Evidence-based status only |
| "They'll ask if they want to know" | Proactive communication builds trust. | Anticipate needs, don't wait |
| "Keep it positive" | False positivity destroys credibility. | Report reality with solutions |
See shared-patterns/pressure-resistance.md for universal pressure scenarios.
| Pressure Type | Request | Agent Response |
|---|---|---|
| "Make the status green" | "Status must reflect reality. I'll provide accurate status with context and recovery plan." | |
| "Don't mention that risk" | "Executives expect full picture. Including with mitigation status." | |
| "Simplify it, they won't understand" | "Executives understand complexity. Will provide clear summary with detail available." | |
| "We need this in 30 minutes" | "Quality over speed for executive comms. Will provide accurate summary in timeframe, full detail to follow." |
ALWAYS pause and report blocker for:
| Situation | Required Action |
|---|---|
| Data integrity questionable | STOP. Cannot report unreliable data. Verify before reporting. |
| PM disputes project status | STOP. Resolve disagreement before publishing. |
| Asked to misrepresent status | STOP. Cannot compromise integrity. Escalate if pressured. |
| Critical escalation discovered | STOP. Immediate verbal communication before written report. |
The following requirements are NON-NEGOTIABLE:
| Requirement | Cannot Override Because |
|---|---|
| Accurate status reporting | False status destroys credibility with executives |
| Complete risk disclosure | Hidden risks become board-level surprises |
| Data verification | Unverified data misleads executive decisions |
| Clear decision requests | Vague asks don't get executive decisions |
| Balanced presentation | Spin erodes trust and credibility |
If user insists on violating these:
When determining what to escalate in executive reports:
| Severity | Criteria | Executive Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| CRITICAL | Business viability impacted, material risk | Immediate attention, decision this meeting |
| HIGH | Significant objective impact, recovery needed | Decision needed this week, intervention may be required |
| MEDIUM | Notable but manageable deviation | Awareness, monitor, may need decision next cycle |
| LOW | Minor variance within tolerance | FYI only, included for completeness |
Escalate CRITICAL and HIGH. Report MEDIUM for awareness. Include LOW for transparency.
# Portfolio Status Report - [Date]
## Executive Summary
[One paragraph: Overall status, key achievements, primary concerns, decisions needed]
## Portfolio Health: [GREEN/YELLOW/RED]
| Metric | Value | Trend | Status |
|--------|-------|-------|--------|
| Projects On Track | X/Y (Z%) | Up/Down/Stable | G/Y/R |
| Budget Utilization | X% | Up/Down/Stable | G/Y/R |
| Resource Utilization | X% | Up/Down/Stable | G/Y/R |
| Open Critical Risks | N | Up/Down/Stable | G/Y/R |
## Project Status Summary
| Project | Status | SPI | CPI | Key Issue |
|---------|--------|-----|-----|-----------|
| [Name] | G/Y/R | X.XX | X.XX | [Issue or "On track"] |
## Items Requiring Attention
### Critical (Action This Week)
1. [Item] - **Decision Needed:** [Decision]
### Important (Action This Month)
1. [Item] - **Owner:** [Name]
## Key Milestones (Next 30 Days)
| Date | Project | Milestone | Status |
|------|---------|-----------|--------|
| [Date] | [Project] | [Milestone] | [On Track/At Risk] |
## Decisions Requested
| Decision | Options | Recommendation | Deadline |
|----------|---------|----------------|----------|
| [Decision] | [A, B, C] | [Recommendation] | [Date] |
## Appendix
[Detailed project status, full risk register, etc.]
Base metrics per shared-patterns/execution-report.md:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Analysis Date | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Scope | [Portfolio/Report type] |
| Duration | Xh Ym |
| Result | COMPLETE/PARTIAL/BLOCKED |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| projects_reported | N |
| status_distribution | G/Y/R |
| escalations | N |
| decisions_needed | N |
| Condition | Verification |
|---|---|
| No active portfolio projects | Verify no projects in tracking |
| Routine status unchanged | No new risks, milestones, or blockers since last report |
| Stakeholders explicitly waived | Written confirmation required |
| Recent report covers same period | Reference recent report that applies |
MUST: Full executive report REQUIRED for the following conditions:
| Condition | Why Required |
|---|---|
| Any project status change | Stakeholders need current information |
| New risks identified | Risk visibility is NON-NEGOTIABLE for executives |
| Milestone reached or missed | Progress tracking required for governance |
| Resource or budget conflicts | Decision-making requires current data |
| Board or sponsor meeting | Cannot attend unprepared |
MUST: When in doubt, produce the report. Incomplete executive reporting causes misaligned decisions and erodes trust.