i’ve iterated on a one-page approval template that works in fast-paced launches: headline outcome, why it matters (one line), options (one line each), recommended option (with one clear cost), and the exact ask (yes/no decision or specific resource). keeping it minimal forces me to own the decision and makes it easy for execs to say yes or no. i’m trying to refine the language so it never feels like a request for an essay. does anyone here use a different ultra-lean template that gets approvals even faster?
templates are fine until someone turns them into an entry exam. keep yours rigid: headline, one metric, one ask. if they want more, they can ask for the appendix. and for god’s sake, stop apologizing in your asks — ‘sorry to bother’ kills authority. be concise and unapologetic.
another tip: include the exact wording of the approval you want, like ‘approve $X to do Y by date Z’. execs will copy-paste that. saves negotiation theater and email ping-pong.
i do a 5-line thing: impact, risk, ask. then a link to details. it’s worked surprisingly well for quick okays
i once got an approval in 2 hours after i put a clear yes/no ask at the top. lesson learned.
this is gold—short, practical, and respectful of busy calendars. you'll get faster yeses with that template!
a few years back i switched to a brutal one-pager after watching execs skim long decks. the first line was always the request, not the background. once, that exact change turned a two-week approval into two days. people appreciated not being forced to hunt for the ask. my appendix lived on a shared doc. what’s the most concise ask you’ve ever seen actually approved?
From a throughput perspective, brief templates drive faster approvals because they lower review time per decision. In teams I’ve observed, a single-line ask plus a one-metric expected impact reduced review time by ~30%. Track approval lag before and after adopting the template; if lag doesn’t improve, inspect where reviewers request more info and refine the appendix link. Which metric would you include as the single line that demonstrates impact?