The better business summary

Scenario: You need to summarise a long report so others actually read it.

Anyone can paste a report into ChatGPT and ask for a summary. But if you've ever read one of those bland, forgettable summaries, you'll know: that's not enough.

In business, a good summary isn't just short - it's sharp. It leads with what matters. And it sounds like your organisation, not a robot. In this task you'll learn how to go beyond default summaries and create something people actually want to read.

What you'll learn

• How to steer AI toward clearer, more persuasive summaries
• How to make sure key messages don't get buried halfway down
• How to shape the tone so your work feels "in-house", not outsourced

Step 1 - Start with a basic summary

Summarise this report in 3 paragraphs.

Then paste in your report or article below it, or upload a report (using the + sign in the chat window) in PDF or Word format if your version allows it.

There's a sample 14-page report you can use: Culture Eats Compliance: How Organisational Change Drives AI Adoption (PDF).

It will give you a decent summary - but it won't necessarily lead with the insight that matters most.

⬆️ Level up 1 - Put the most important part first

We're not just trimming content - we're shaping the structure.

Summarise this, but put the most important insight in the first paragraph so it doesn't get missed.

This is called "leading with the answer" - a core principle in business communication. Think of it as flipping the report upside-down so the good stuff hits first.

⬆️ Level up 2 - Match your company's tone

Can you rewrite this in our company's usual tone of voice? Look at the writing on [insert your company's website URL] and match that style.

If you don't want to share a website, paste in a sample document or brand guideline, or simply describe your tone:

We usually sound confident and friendly, but not overhyped. Short sentences, plain English, and active voice.

That's enough to guide the style. You can also say things like "avoid jargon" or "use bullet points if needed".

Even more fun: see what changes when you give it different company websites as a style guide - does it change much between https://www.benjerry.com/ and https://www.mckinsey.com/ ?

⬆️ Optional Level up 3 - Make it skimmable

Can you turn the key findings into 3-5 bullet points, and keep the tone consistent with the rest of the summary?