1-2-3: How to write a great executive summary, Paul Graham on how to do great work
1 Actionable Concept, 2 Best Tweets all under 3 Minutes
1 Actionable Concept, 2 Best Tweets all under 3 Minutes
Good day, my readers! 🫡
This is Career Geek here.
Today’s topics are rather meaty.
So, we will have “1 Action, 1 Best Tweet” instead of our regular “1 Action, 2 Best Tweets”.
What’s in store 🏠
How to Write A Great Executive Summary
How to do Great Work (by Paul Graham)
Without further ado, let’s begin! 👏
1 Action:
How to Write A Great Executive Summary
(h/t to on this. Here’s the original 🔗.)
No one wants to read a 113-page report. It’s painful.
Write a great executive summary so no one has to.
How?
Use the SCQA method.
Situation: Set out the un-arguable starting point. This gets everybody nodding.
Complication: Introduce the threat, change or opportunity.
Question: Defines the question(s) you will answer. What is the scope of this conversation?
Answer: Provides your solution to the challenges. What do you propose to do about problem?
An example:
Situation: Starbucks is a leading global coffeehouse chain with over 30,000 locations in more than 80 countries. The company has built a strong brand reputation based on quality products, customer experience, and community involvement.
Complication: However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted in-store traffic. As a result, Starbucks face increased competition from local coffee shops and grocery store brands that offered ready-to-drink coffee options. This shift in consumer behavior poses a threat to Starbucks' market share and profitability.
Question: How can Starbucks adapt its business model to recover from the pandemic's impact and regain its competitive edge in the coffee market?
Answer: Starbucks should invest in its digital ordering capabilities and expand its delivery services by partnering with delivery platforms. Additionally, introducing new product lines that focus on health and wellness could attract a broader customer base.
1 Tweet:
How to do Great Work
Posted by: Paul Graham
Essay Link: 🔗
A few lines from Paul Graham’s essay “How to do Great Work”:
When choosing what field to work on, always optimize for interestingness.
When you are interested, you are not astray.
Curiosity is your best guide. Your curiosity never lies, and it knows more than you do about what's worth paying attention to.
If you don't know what you are interested, guess. Pick something and get going.
Fields are not people; they do not demand loyalty. Change whenever you don't feel interested anymore.
Focus on developing your interest and become a learning machine.
The recipe for greatness is to work hard on excitingly ambitious projects and something good will come of it.
People who do great work are not necessarily happier. They will be unhappier if they didn't.
A big mistake is to let setbacks destroy your morale. Consider setbacks as part of your process.
The route to great work is never easy. You cannot get to great work without being earnest.
Thank you so much for reading up to this point. I thoroughly enjoyed the actionable concepts & tweets I shared with you. 💖
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Take care and till next time! 🫡