How To Write Updates Your Leadership Team Will Actually Read
- Maya Grossman
- Dec 9, 2025
- 5 min read
Let’s start with a reality check:
Most leaders are drowning in updates.
Dashboards. Threads. Project trackers. Monthly reviews. Status emails.
If you want your work to stand out, you need to know how to write updates for leadership that cut through the noise.
It’s a blur of information, and most of it is ignored.
I did my best to stay up to date as a VP, but the reality is, there just aren't enough hours in the day. Anything that didn’t pass my “spam” detector got skipped.
So if you want your updates to be read and your work to actually influence how you're seen by senior leaders?
You can’t just send updates.
You have to write updates that they want to read.
Strategic Updates: How To Write Updates For Leadership That Influence
Clear, strategic updates do more than inform.
They position you as someone who:
Understands the business
Thinks like an operator
Communicates with executive clarity
Knows how to influence at scale
If you want to get promoted, especially to VP or exec levels, this is a non-negotiable skill. I have seen more than one Director lose a VP promotion because their updates made their work look tactical instead of strategic.
But… this is the mistake many of us make when it comes to updates:
Laundry lists of everything we did that week
Vague bullets like “continued progress on Q3 initiatives”
Hyper-detailed updates that read like meeting notes
Or worse… no update at all
I break down the hidden criteria in this guide on why you are being overlooked for VP.
When your updates feel tactical, overwhelming, or inconsistent… they could actually hurt your reputation. And in promotion decisions, it may result in you hearing “You’re not ready yet.”
Let’s change that.
Think of your updates as influence tools, not just status reports.
Your goal isn’t just to say what’s happening.
Your goal is to shape perception:
“Here’s what I’m focused on. Here’s the impact. Here’s what matters next.”
You want your leadership team to:
Know what’s working
See your judgment in action
Trust that you’re on top of what matters
If you are still getting vague ‘be more strategic’ feedback, start here.
This is how the pros do it.
The Framework: Use BLUF For Executive Updates
BLUF = Bottom Line Up Front is actually a military-turned-business framework used by execs at places like Amazon, Meta, and McKinsey.
Here's how to use it to structure your update:
1. Headline Summary (BLUF)
Start with one bold sentence that captures the main idea or progress point.
E
✅ “Q3 launch is on track after resolving two major risks this week.”
✅ “We’re ahead of forecast on pipeline goals thanks to new partner outreach.”
This is what your manager or skip will read first, make it count.
2. Top 2–3 Wins or Priorities
Stick to outcomes and strategic moves, not a play-by-play of your calendar.
✅ Launched pilot with 3 enterprise clients; early feedback is strong (NPS 80+)
✅ Closed internal alignment on GTM; kick-off scheduled for July 15
✅ Escalated security dependency — now tracking to resolution by Friday
3. What’s Next
Show that you’re forward-looking and proactive.
✅ Next week: Partner review, final legal sign-off, and handoff to customer success
✅ Starting early scoping for Q4 roadmap and prioritizing resourcing conversations
4. Asks or Flags (Optional)
Use this sparingly — but if something’s blocking progress or needs visibility, flag it clearly.
✅ Need final budget approval by 6/28 to stay on track
✅ Working through team capacity constraints may need to re-scope one deliverable
You can reuse this BLUF structure in executive meetings too.
Real Example (for a Monthly Skip-Level Update):
Subject: Marketing Ops — June Highlights + Priorities
BLUF: Ahead of goal on pipeline coverage after launching two new campaigns and restructuring partner attribution.
Wins:
Revamped lead attribution system to improve channel-level visibility (early insights already influencing July budget)
Partner campaign launched in LATAM. 1.2K new leads in 10 days, $550K pipeline generated
Created a content localization guide that’s now being used org-wide
Next Up:
Align with sales on lead scoring updates
Finalize plan for Q3 content ops support
Audit marketing tech stack for renewals
Flag:
Exploring external agency support for design could help speed up asset production
Copy and paste this template:
Skip-Level Update Framework
Subject:
[Your Area or Team] – [Month] Highlights + Priorities
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front):
One sentence summarizing the most important outcome, shift, or update.
Top Wins:
What’s Next:
Flag / Ask (Optional):
One blocker, risk, or decision is needed
But what about cross-functional leaders?
You don’t need to send them formal updates every month, and you definitely don’t need to ask for a recurring meeting.
But if you're leading high-impact, cross-functional work (launches, ops changes, product rollouts, financial reports), you do need a strategy to stay on their radar.
Here’s how to make it feel natural:
1. Use project milestones as a trigger
When you hit a meaningful checkpoint, send a short async update:
“Quick FYI — we just completed X, and here’s what we’re seeing so far…”
2. Use shared docs or Slack/Teams channels
If your org uses shared notes or threads, don’t just drop links. Add 2–3 lines of context using the BLUF framework to highlight key insights.
3. Use meetings you’re already in
If you're joining a monthly planning call or cross-functional sync, take 30 seconds to say:
“Quick update from me — [BLUF sentence]. More detail in the doc if needed.”
You’re not being extra. You’re making it easy for decision-makers to notice your impact.
Cadence: How Often To Send Updates To Leadership
This isn’t an exact science, and it might change based on company norms, but on average, you want to touch base with your manager weekly, your skip monthly to quarterly, and your cross-functional teams on a regular basis.
Audience | Frequency | Format |
Your manager | Weekly | Slack/email, short + focused |
Your skip-level | Monthly | Email or shared doc |
Cross-functional leaders | As milestones happen | Slack, shared docs, or async updates |
Consistency builds trust.
Clarity builds influence.
And cadence builds reputation.
Your Next Steps
This week, get your updates up to par and start using them as strategic positioning tools.
Write your next update using the BLUF format.
Find a natural milestone and share an async update with a cross functional leader.
If you want to go beyond better emails and build a full promotion strategy, watch my free masterclass where I walk you through the exact process I used to go from Director to VP and the five elements leaders talk about when they decide who is ready.
This is how you build your executive communication muscle and make sure the right people see your impact.
I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you
Maya❤️
