The email mistake almost everyone makes
Today’s situation is one of the most common communication flaws of top performers — burying the lead.
I’m seeing an influx of communication-related sticky situations with annual review season upon us. So in an effort not to bury the lead myself, let’s jump in!
The Situation
I got feedback in my review that I need to ‘communicate more clearly’ and ‘be more concise.’ My manager said I sometimes bury the lead and lose people in meetings. I had no idea I was doing this and now I’m second-guessing every email I send. How do I actually fix this?
My Take
First, this is fixable. And the fact that you’re taking it seriously already puts you ahead.
Real talk though: thorough isn’t the same as clear. High-performers often build the habit of over-explaining, because early in your career showing the detail was rewarded. At some point, it starts working against you.
The framework of all frameworks
Meet your new BFF — the Pyramid Principle.
Most people write bottom-up. All the context, then the reasoning, then — somewhere near the end — the actual point. As a recipient this is super hard to follow. We aren’t in your mind!
Flip it. Lead with the headline every time. Then the context, the why, the relevant data points, and any next steps.
No, this isn’t too forward. No, you don’t need that two sentence lead-up. Yes, it’s so much easier to follow your main point or ask.
You can even draft your emails following your stream of consciousness, and then go back through and pull that main point up to the front.
BAD: We completed user testing this week and found several areas where new users were confused during onboarding. The team believes we can address these issues quickly and improve adoption. Because of this, we may want to consider pushing the launch back by two weeks.
GOOD: I recommend we delay the launch by two weeks to fix the onboarding issues. User testing showed confusion in the first-time experience, which could hurt adoption. If you agree, I’ll update the timeline and notify stakeholders today.
Adapt this for meetings
Use this simple adaptation of the Pyramid Principle for meetings and ad hoc conversations.
What? - So What? - Now What?
Main point upfront, then why it matters, then what you’re going to do about it.
AI is your friend too, if you train it
Use AI to help gut check and give you feedback. I don’t use AI to write verbatim for me UNLESS I give it these instructions:
Role + Ask + Audience or Goal + Key Details + Structure
For you, giving it a structure to follow is going to be key so you get your main point across first. This small addition to your prompt can really change your AI outputs. Two simple prompts that might help:
“You are my communication coach. Help me revise this email to my director using the Pyramid Principle structure. I want to lead with the main point/ask confidently, while still seeming open to feedback.”
“Here’s my situation: [role, audience, goal, key context, data points, risks]. Help me draft what I should say using the Pyramid Principle so my audience clearly understands the recommendation and next step.”
Final thought
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. Which is a good thing. Just being aware of these frameworks is a step towards recognizing when you (and others!) do this. Try using Pyramid Principle in one email today. Notice the responses you get. Ask your manager if it’s clearer. Show you are actively addressing the feedback.
