What to write in an executive summary
Write an executive summary that busy leaders will actually read and act on. Fill in your details below, copy the prompt, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
Executive summaries that open with background and context lose their audience immediately. The senior people reading an executive summary already know the background; they need the conclusion, the recommendation, and the evidence, in that order.
An effective executive summary opens with the most important conclusion or recommendation, supports it with two or three key data points, and closes with a clear decision or action request. It is written so a busy executive can understand the full argument in under five minutes without reading the full document.
Add the document type, topic, key finding or recommendation, supporting evidence, requested action, and your audience. The AI gives you an executive summary that leads with the point and earns the reader's trust.
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Your prompt
Help me write an executive summary. Here are the details: Document type (report, proposal, business plan, etc.): [DOCUMENT_TYPE] Topic: [TOPIC] Key finding or recommendation: [KEY_POINT] Supporting evidence: [EVIDENCE] Requested action or decision: [ACTION] Audience: [AUDIENCE] Write an executive summary of 150 to 250 words that: opens with the most important conclusion or recommendation (not background), supports it with 2 to 3 key evidence points, and closes with a clear call to action or decision request.
Copy this prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any AI tool.
Tips for writing this
- 1Lead with the recommendation or conclusion, not the background. Executives skip to the end anyway.
- 2Three supporting points is the maximum. More evidence reduces clarity, not adds to it.
- 3Close with one specific ask. Not general conclusions, a decision or action you need.
Common questions
How long should an executive summary be?+
One page maximum. For very large reports, two pages is acceptable. The purpose is to allow someone to understand the key message in under 5 minutes without reading the full document.
How do I use this prompt?+
Fill in your details using the form above. The placeholders in the prompt update live as you type. When you are ready, click “Copy prompt” and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any AI tool. The AI will write something personalized to your specific situation.
Which AI tool works best for this?+
Claude and ChatGPT both work well. Claude tends to produce more natural, nuanced writing for personal situations. ChatGPT is strong for structured business and professional writing. Try both and keep the version that sounds more like you.
Should I use the AI output word for word?+
Use it as a strong first draft, then edit it to sound like you. The AI gives you the structure and language to work from. Reading it out loud is one of the best ways to catch anything that does not feel natural in your voice.
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