How to write Partnership and Strategy Updates for Executives

Rich O'Connell -

Partnerships are an essential part of any business strategy. By working with other companies, businesses can access new markets, resources, and expertise. However, partnerships can be complex and time-consuming to manage. That's why it's important to be able to communicate your partnership strategy to executives in a clear and concise way.

Here are some tips for writing partnership and strategy updates for executives:

  1. Start with context. Provide executives with a brief overview of the partnership, including the goals, objectives, and key players. Assume they do not have, or not remember, any previous context and make it easy for them to engage with your topic.
  2. Explain the strategy. What are you hoping to achieve through the partnership? How will you measure success? Why is this important? How does it relate to other initiatives?
  3. Provide a 30,000 foot view. Don't get bogged down in the details. Give executives a high-level overview of the partnership and its potential impact.
  4. Include the customer POV. What are the customer pain points that the partnership will address? How will the partnership benefit customers?
  5. Identify risks and mitigations. What are the potential risks associated with the partnership? How will you mitigate those risks?
  6. Highlight cross-functional dependencies. What other teams within the organization will be affected by the partnership? How will you ensure that everyone is aligned?
  7. Include relevant data and metrics. Use data and metrics to support your claims and show the value of the partnership.
  8. Highlight any insights learned to date. What have you learned from the partnership so far?
  9. End with a recommendation. What do you recommend that executives do next? Don't bury the lead. Make sure leadership know your POV so they can react and provide feedback.

Additional tips on writing style for partnership and strategy updates for executives:

  • Use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon and technical terms.
  • Be specific and provide details. Don't just make general statements.
  • Use visuals to help illustrate your points.
  • Be objective and unbiased. Don't oversell the partnership or make unrealistic claims.
  • Proofread your work carefully before sending it to executives.
  • Triple-check all data. Nothing will lose you more credibility than incorrect data, or data that does not make logical sense.
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." – Winston Churchill

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