👤 Manoj Agarwal
10th January 2022
Report writing is, ideally, a sweet intersection of art, science, and craft.
The art of business report writing is all about mastering the intangibles. Sure, you HEARD your boss saying s/he want a rundown of the last social media campaign but did you LISTEN to the unsaid bits? In other words, did you catch the ‘wavelength’, latch onto the undercurrents & nuances and get to the ‘intent’ of the task? Which are the areas you need to double-down upon (and which are okay to skim)? Is there a ‘hidden take-home’ the KPI’s do not mention? What are the broader business goals and loops your business report links with?
Address potential gaps by insisting on a free-flowing conversation on expectations right at the outset, pass that information on along the workflow, and keep two-way channels of communication open to handle doubts on the go. Art is equally important when you are presenting your report: Make sure the right person sees it at the right time and if you can help it, in the right mood.
The science part is about wielding your X-Ray vision. Once you know precisely what you have to dig up, you will have to employ the right tools and tech stacks to drill down to the relevant areas quickly and accurately. The more granular, the more centered (unbiased) and the more inclusive (factoring in all possible angles) your presentation is, the better the purpose will be served.
Finally, make sure the files and formats you are using are compatible with the systems of the person who will consume your report, that you have made documents shareable (if on cloud or shared drives). That necessary security and compliance are met.
The craft of reports and presentations bridges art and science. Once you have got the WHAT out of the way, it’s essential to focus on the HOW. Craft is all about keeping things brief and to the point, employing the right language and style of narrative (it’s best to avoid dramatic turns of phrase and keep things conversational), emphasizing / highlighting / flagging the areas you want the attention to go to first, and following best practices of structure and flow (such as an introduction that covers everything but doesn’t reveal too much, seamlessly interlinked chapters that take the narrative forward cogently and a sharp yet comprehensive summary).
Sharing information is the lifeblood of modern business. When you master it, you amp up performance, boost team morale and ensure a competitive edge. Admittedly, some people have a knack (call it 6th sense if you will) about these things, and it also depends on interpersonal rapport and vibes. Still, it is best to take the intuitions and variables out of the equation by turning it into a step-by-step process that, over time, becomes the second habit.
About the Author
Manoj Agarwal Manoj Agarwal is the Co-Founder and CPO at Xoxoday. He is an MBA from IIM Kozhikode comes with 14 years of experience in building companies, technology, product, marketing, & business excellence.
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