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Executive Summary and Briefing Note Writing for Decision Makers

Executives and public sector leaders in South Africa are flooded with long documents but have minutes to grasp what matters. This course shows delegates how to distil a complex report, project or issue into a tight executive summary or briefing note that gives a leader the situation, the options and the recommended action at a glance. Delegates draft and refine real notes throughout the workshop.

What you will be able to do

  • Distinguish an executive summary from an introduction and from a full report.
  • Extract the essential findings, options and recommendation from a long document.
  • Structure a briefing note using situation, analysis and recommended action.
  • Write in a concise style that respects a senior reader's limited time.
  • Anticipate the questions a decision maker will ask and answer them upfront.
  • Edit a draft note down to a single page without losing meaning.

Course outline

  1. 01The Role of the Executive Summary and Briefing Note
  2. 02Reading a Long Document for What Matters
  3. 03The Situation, Analysis, Recommendation Structure
  4. 04Writing for a Time Pressed Senior Reader
  5. 05Presenting Options and Trade Offs Clearly
  6. 06Anticipating and Answering Leadership Questions
  7. 07Cutting a Draft to One Page
  8. 08Review and Sign-off Practice

Who should attend

This course is aimed at managers, advisors, analysts and administrative professionals who prepare summaries, submissions or briefing notes for executives, boards or government officials.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 18 Aug 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026Pretoria2R10,000
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026Cape Town2R10,000
14 to 15 Sep 2026Online2US$900
21 to 22 Sep 2026Mozambique2US$1,100
28 to 29 Sep 2026Cairo2US$1,100
5 to 6 Oct 2026Accra2US$1,100
12 to 13 Oct 2026Lusaka2US$1,100
19 to 20 Oct 2026Kigali2US$1,100
26 to 27 Oct 2026Nairobi2US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026Durban2R10,000
9 to 10 Nov 2026Johannesburg2R10,000
23 to 24 Nov 2026Mauritius2US$1,100
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Dubai2US$1,100
7 to 8 Dec 2026Lagos2US$1,100
14 to 15 Dec 2026Harare2US$1,100
21 to 22 Dec 2026Kampala2US$1,100

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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