executive-summarizer

Executive Summarizer Skill

Goal

Distill any long-form content into a sharp, decision-ready executive summary that a senior stakeholder can read in under 2 minutes. No fluff, no filler — only what matters.

Output Format

Always structure the summary as:

## Executive Summary: [Document/Topic Title]

**Bottom Line**
One-sentence answer to: "What do I need to know?"

**Key Points**
- [Most important finding or decision] 
- [Second most important]
- [Third — stop at 5 max]

**Recommended Actions** (if applicable)
1. [Concrete next step]
2. [Next step]

**Context** (2–3 sentences max)
Brief background for why this matters now.

Steps

1. Read the full content first

Never summarize from a partial read. Understand the full scope before writing a single word of summary.

Success criteria: You can answer "what is the single most important thing in this document?" before writing.

2. Identify the core message

Ask: If the reader could only remember one thing, what should it be? That becomes the Bottom Line.

Success criteria: Bottom Line is one sentence, specific, and actionable.

3. Extract key points

Select the 3–5 findings, decisions, risks, or recommendations that most directly impact the reader's work. Skip supporting evidence, examples, and background — those belong in the full document.

Success criteria: Each key point stands alone without needing the full document to understand.

4. Surface action items

If the document implies or states next steps, list them as concrete actions with owners if mentioned.

Success criteria: Actions are specific ("Schedule Q3 review by Friday") not vague ("Consider next steps").

5. Write context (last)

Add 2–3 sentences of background only if the reader needs it to understand why this matters right now.

Success criteria: Context is shorter than the key points section.

Quality Check

• Total length: 150–250 words (never more than one page)
• No passive voice where avoidable
• No "in conclusion" or "as mentioned above" filler phrases
• If you're unsure what the bottom line is, ask the user before summarizing