TL;DR vs. Bezos-Style Memos: What Really Lands with Boards, the C-suite, and Your Teams? By Rob Tearle CFO | cfovalue.uk

OK first up what is TL;DR? - Too Long; Didn't Read.

Hope that you will read on.

Let's summarise the Article first.

🧭 TL;DR — Article in 8 Lines:

• TL;DRs deliver speed, energy, and focus when time’s tight.

• Narrative memos build context and depth for high-stakes decisions.

• Board meetings demand discipline and brevity—less is more.

• In the C-suite or 1:1s, there’s more room for innovation and story.

• I combine frameworks: a strong skeleton, authentic pitch energy, and a bespoke narrative.

• The right story can energize even a dry Board pack.

• Good internal storytelling underpins compelling investor comms.

• Try the ChatGPT prompts to automate both styles—and let me know what works.

✳️ The Real Challenge

Every leader knows the pain: too many updates get skimmed, but long-winded decks gather digital dust. It isn’t a choice between story and structure, pitch and process, short and long. It’s about orchestrating the right mix for your audience and the moments that matter.

This was first brought home to me when I went from the joint venture investor MediaOne (formerly US West) to TeleWest. Of all the month end reports we received at MediaOne from our 16 joint ventures, TeleWest was like a book of information. However, it did not really bring out the key message. As soon as I joined their Content team I knew this was what was needed.

That was a while back but what about now?

📋 My TL;DR Boardroom Briefing (with some Story Structure)

After years in VC-backed, high-growth, and later-stage CFO roles, I’ve tend to follow a simple formula—centred around clarity, story, and alignment.

• Exec Snapshot: What’s the story this week, month, quarter etc?

• Urgent Fires: What can’t wait?

• Quick Wins: Momentum worth amplifying.

• Strategic Bets: The moves with future upside.

• Market Signals: What’s shifting outside.

• Financial Trends: Are numbers telling a different story?

• Risks: Known, hidden, emerging.

• Decisions Needed: Where’s collective focus required? Matters reserved for the Board.

Tip: Even briefings benefit from a story arc—set the scene, explain the tension, resolve, and close with a call to action.

📚 The Discipline of the Bezos Memo

Amazon’s 6-page narrative memo stands out not for length, but for intellectual discipline—forcing slowed-down, evidence-led thinking.

When do I reach for this?

• High-stakes decisions (“Are we backing this new venture?”)

• Debates with multiple options and risks

• Major pivots or market entries

This is the structure:

• Purpose / Context

• Background / Data

• Options Considered

• Recommendation

• Risks & Mitigations

• Next Steps

Tip: The best memos don’t just lay out facts; they frame the decision with a narrative, anchoring leaders in a shared understanding before moving to action.

🔁 Board vs. C-Suite: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

While this is a slight generalisation this is how may view each audience:

The key: Spark energy and clarity, no matter the room. That’s how decisions get made.

💬 Broader Impact

Better internal storytelling—whether via TL;DRs or narrative memos—translates directly into:

• Sharper investor decks

• Credible customer pitches

• Confident supplier negotiations

• Teams who understand the why and act on it

Final thoughts

From a relative early age when doing essay or story writing we were told to sketch out a plan of what we where going to say. We then wrote the essay or story. What is often missing is then to draw out at the end the key messaging and overall story from mission to vision.

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📩 Want to Try This?

Here are prompts you may want to try with an AI tool like ChatGPT to semi automate your approach:

• TL;DR Prompt: “Act as my executive assistant. Based on the following email threads, notes, and updates, generate a weekly TL;DR Boardroom Briefing. Use the structure: Exec Snapshot, Urgent Fires, Quick Wins, Strategic Bets, Market Signals, Financial Trends, Risks, Decisions Needed.”

• Bezos Memo Prompt: “Help me write a 6-page narrative memo on [insert topic]. Include: Purpose, Context, Data, Options Considered, Recommendation, Risks & Mitigations, and Next Steps. Write in clear paragraphs, not bullet points. Keep the audience in mind.”

🤝 Over to You…

How are you blending story, pitch, and process in your updates? When do you go fast—and when do you need to slow down and bring the full story to the table? Has the “TL;DR” culture helped or hurt your leadership impact? Your feedback and comments help makes us all better.

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Rob Tearle CFO Value-Driven CFO | SaaS, Interesting Tech, Venture, cfovalue.uk | Email robtearleuk@gmail.com