Skip to content

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.

Ready to book? Secure your place on this programme.

Register for this course

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

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendarRegister
8 to 9 Oct 2026Johannesburg2R10,000Register
12 to 13 Oct 2026Cape Town2R10,000Register
13 to 14 Oct 2026Durban2R10,000Register
14 to 15 Oct 2026Pretoria2R10,000Register
15 to 16 Oct 2026Windhoek2US$1,100Register
19 to 20 Oct 2026Gaborone2US$1,100Register
20 to 21 Oct 2026Maseru2US$1,100Register
21 to 22 Oct 2026Mbabane2US$1,100Register
22 to 23 Oct 2026Lusaka2US$1,100Register
26 to 27 Oct 2026Harare2US$1,100Register
27 to 28 Oct 2026Lilongwe2US$1,100Register
28 to 29 Oct 2026Blantyre2US$1,100Register
29 to 30 Oct 2026Mozambique2US$1,100Register
2 to 3 Nov 2026Nairobi2US$1,100Register
3 to 4 Nov 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100Register
4 to 5 Nov 2026Kigali2US$1,100Register
5 to 6 Nov 2026Kampala2US$1,100Register
9 to 10 Nov 2026Accra2US$1,100Register
10 to 11 Nov 2026Lagos2US$1,100Register
11 to 12 Nov 2026Cairo2US$1,100Register
12 to 13 Nov 2026Mauritius2US$1,100Register
16 to 17 Nov 2026Dubai2US$1,100Register
17 to 18 Nov 2026Online2US$900Register

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.

Related courses in Business Communication and Report Writing

Business Communication and Report Writing

Report Writing for Technical and Operational Teams

Most operational reports die in an inbox because the finding is buried on page four. This course rebuilds the way engineers...

Next session
5 to 9 Oct 2026
Venue
Durban
5 day programme
FromR18,000
Business Communication and Report Writing

Persuasive Business Writing and Email Discipline

Write the email that gets a decision instead of three rounds of clarification. Delegates work through tone...

Next session
21 to 23 Oct 2026
Venue
Johannesburg
3 day programme
FromR13,000
Business Communication and Report Writing

Minute Taking and Meeting Records

A committee resolution is challenged six months later and the only record is a set of notes nobody can follow.

Next session
19 to 20 Oct 2026
Venue
Johannesburg
2 day programme
FromR10,000
See all Business Communication and Report Writing courses