How To Summarize Anything Succinctly

Ready on my website | Read Time: 3 Minutes

Whether you're summarizing a quarterly review, pitching a new initiative, or giving a project update, the same challenge haunts every professional: How do you distill hours of work into a compelling short summary that actually moves people to action?

The answer isn't cramming more information into less time. It's using a framework that forces you to lead with what matters most.

The WHAT/SO WHAT/NOW WHAT Framework

This three-part structure transforms any lengthy presentation into an executive-ready update:

WHAT - Set the Context

• The situation, challenge, or opportunity
• Keep it to bare essentials
• Resist the urge to front-load details

Example: "Last week we discovered our customer segmentation strategy is misaligned—we're targeting C-suite executives but our messaging has been geared toward enterprise architects."

SO WHAT - Why They Should Care

• This is where you win or lose their attention
• Connect to business impact using the three levers below
• Make it personal to their priorities

Example: "This mismatch means when we launch our new product next quarter, it won't resonate with our ideal buyers. We're looking at potentially 25% lower conversion rates, which could cost us $1.5M in lost revenue."

NOW WHAT - What You Need

• Specific decision or input required
• Clear next steps
• Avoid vague requests like "let's discuss"

Example: "I have a revised segmentation strategy that I believe will fix this. I need your approval to reallocate $50K from our current campaign budget to implement the new approach before our product launch."

The Critical SO WHAT Connection

Here's what separates amateur updates from executive-level communication: Every SO WHAT must connect to one of three business levers.

PROFITS

• Revenue impact (direct or indirect)
• Cost implications
• Resource efficiency

Example: "If we don't address this segmentation issue, we're looking at a 15% decrease in conversion rates, which translates to $2M in lost revenue this quarter."

MARKET

• Market share effects
• Competitive positioning
• Time to market considerations

Example: "Our competitor just launched a similar feature, and if we delay our response by another quarter, we risk losing our first-mover advantage in the enterprise segment."

EXPOSURE

• Customer retention/acquisition
• Risk exposure (security, legal, financial)
• Brand reputation

Example: "This security vulnerability affects 40% of our customer base, and if exploited, could result in compliance violations and customer churn."

The 80/20 Rule for SO WHAT

When crafting your SO WHAT, ask yourself: "If I had 15 seconds to explain why my boss should care about this, what’s the TLDR?"

If you can't answer that clearly, you're not ready to give the update.

Most people spend 80% of their time explaining WHAT happened and 20% on why it matters. Flip this ratio. Executives already trust you know the details—they want to understand the implications.

By the way, since you're in The ISA, you can practice this framework alongside me. Just jump to Day 12 in the course to hear more examples from me and master it yourself. I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

Best,

Preston