Masterfully, it takes only two paragraphs for us to gauge exactly how this document is going to read, an absolute must for a memo hall of famer. the rapid rate at which the company grew. Howard Schultz on the Overexpansion of StarbucksĪ year after his return as CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz penned a memo to discuss the consequences of an overly-ambitious strategy, i.e.

Gates first touches on the conception of the internet, before moving along to subheadings ‘The Internet Today’, ‘Competition’, ‘Next Steps’, and finally ‘The Future’.Īnd how does Gates finish up? Exactly as he should, courteously leaving the door open for suggestions: “I am looking forward to your input on how we can improve our strategy to continue our track record of incredible success.” 2.

The text is filled with technical information presented (crucially) in context.

Each section is tied together to this central theme, making the memo a relevant, coherent discussion that actually adds value to recipients. “In this memo, I want to make clear that our focus on the Internet is crucial to every part of our business,” reads an introductory paragraph. In 1995, aka the infancy of the digital world, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates sent out an executive memo on an impending internet tidal wave.Īside from being an interesting glimpse into history, this document serves as an outstanding example of what a memo is designed to do. Bill Gates on Surfing the Internet Tidal Wave Here are our entries into the memo hall of fame: 1. Some memos even become cultural documents, a still-shot into the specific time and place of a company or industry. Some rise above the rest, however, showing precisely how informative, persuasive or inspiring a simple page or two can be. 3 of The Greatest Business Memos of All TimeĪn immeasurable amount of memos are sent daily, so of course there are plenty of great examples out there. If you’re looking to brush up on how to write a business memo, we’ve got you covered. Otherwise, you’re just adding to the pile of pointless paperwork.īecoming adept with this type of internal communication is an essential skill, one which can aid you in many aspects of work and career. It’s crucial to know what situations merit a memorandum, as well as the associated rules. Ineffective memos arise when those writing haven’t truly grasped the actual purpose of this specific kind of correspondence. His actual point is that whilst memos should absolutely be written to inform readers, they often provide little to no value. “A memorandum is not written to inform the reader, but to protect the writer,” as former US Secretary of State Dean Acheson quipped satirically, taking a dig at governmental bureaucracy.

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