That less can be more is
especially true in good writing. I
discovered this at Procter and
Gamble, a company as famous for its legendary one
page memo as for its products. Its wondrous one page
memo was created out of the same confidence in reason
and technology that built America, and is as elegant as
Panini's grammar or Euclid's geometry. Based on the
reasonable assumption that all managers suffer from an
overload of paperwork and files, it is simple, factual,
and logical.The reader can scan it in minutes and grasp
its contents. It has just enough data that a manager
needs to make decision and no more. It is clear, precise,
eschews hyperbole, and it actually improves the speed
and quality of decisions, and hence it can be a source of
competitive advantage.

The one page memo consists of five short
paragraphs, and its first sentence tells the reader what
to expect—why should you be interested in what I have
to say? Hence, the smart writer puts his best foot
forward and states upfront the conclusion or
recommendation.There is an inherent conflict between
the reader and the writer's interest—the writer wants
to build a case slowly, leading to a
conclusion, but the busy reader
wants the conclusion quickly, and
is only interested in the rationale
later.

Since this is not a detective
story, a good first paragraph ought
to focus on the “what” and not the
“how”; but it must also, of course,
offer one or two compelling
reasons to believe in the
conclusion.

The second paragraph offers
background—it is historical,
factual, filled with data, and tells the
reader why the problem or
opportunity has arisen. The third
para is the detailed
recommendation—the "what" and
the “how,” but don't confuse the
reader here with the “why.” The
rationale should come in the next
paragraph—"here are three reasons
why you should accept my recommendation"—and
typically one cites precedents, benefits (financial and
otherwise) and risks.

The fifth paragraph tells the reader that the author
has looked at alternative courses of action, and why this
is the best. Finally, the last paragraph addresses the next
steps and lays out a plan of actions that will flow from
the decision.

The Maharashtra Administrative Reforms
Commission is so impressed with this one page memo
that it is recommending it to the government in order
to make its bureaucrats more efficient.We Indians are
verbose, and need to be reminded that human beings
were born with two ears and two eyes, but with only
one tongue, so that we should see and hear twice as
much as we say. Shakespeare too, I think, must have had
us Indians in mind when he wrote in Richard III:
“Talkers are no good doers.” Hence, he offers us this
advice in Henry V: “Men of a few words are the best of
men.”

Gurcharan Das is the former CEO of Proctor
& Gamble, India and went on to head the
international strategy group for P&G’s
health and beauty market. He is a venture
capitalist, residing in New Delhi. Das is an
author of repute, with two plays and a
novel to his credit.