Synthesis rules

A formula to guide your business writing.

Any intern (or AI agent) can summarize a meeting, a report, or a presentation. I learned this skill in Mrs. Rohr’s fifth-grade English class when I first wrote a book report. But the skill of synthesis requires greater critical thinking rather than mere summary. That’s why I believe Syn > Sum may be the only formula for good writing: Synthesis truly is greater than summary. In this post, I will share with you why synthesis is a key skill for all leaders today and provide specific tactics on how to develop your skill of synthesis.

When teaching this skill to my graduate students, I love to adapt this exercise drawn from the famed author and screenwriter Nora Ephron, as shared with Chip and Dan Heath when researching their 2007 book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. I put this opening of an article in a student newspaper and ask my students to synthesize the most important information into a headline.

“Kenneth L. Peters, the principal of Beverly Hills High School, announced today that the entire high school faculty will travel to Sacramento next Thursday for a colloquium in new teaching methods. Among the speakers will be anthropologist Margaret Mead, college president Dr. Robert Maynard Hutchins, and California governor Edmund ‘Pat’ Brown.”

Invariably, unless a student knows my trick, we get dreadful headlines that basically just repeat the lead paragraph (also called lede) with long lists of dignitaries. I keep reminding them of the audience, high school students. Finally, somebody blurts out, “No School Thursday!” Precisely.

In her own words, Ephron recalls the experience she had in this exercise as a high school student:

“In that instant I realized that journalism was not just about regurgitating the facts but about figuring out the point. It wasn’t enough to know the who, what, when, and where; you had to understand what it meant. And why it mattered.”

That, in a memorable nutshell, captures the skill of effective synthesis: tell the audience why it matters.

To achieve greater synthesis, let’s break this down into a few specific actions.

1.) Think critically. Don’t simply report the facts, but apply your own reasoning and analysis to the facts. Consider why the facts matter for your given audience, and share that insight, not just repeat the data.

2.) Draw together concepts. You add particular value when you can relate new information to that which was previously shared, perhaps in the last meeting or even just by the last speaker.

3.) Compare the information’s similarity. Show how a trend mirrors what was seen elsewhere in the business, or another industry. Steve Jobs famously loved to showcase new products in relation to what the audience already knew. E.g., the iPod nano was small enough to fit in that tiny “watch pocket” on blue jeans.

4.) Detail differences. Discuss where the analogy breaks down, and provide a clear contrast to what’s expected. Our minds tune in when a leader breaks with conventional wisdom and catches us off guard with unexpected information.

5.) Provide the next steps. The person closest to the data may often be the best person to suggest the recommended action. Don’t just provide senior leaders with pros and cons or options to consider; suggest an action and (to channel Ephron) offer why this action matters.

That final step, making a clear recommendation, can be the most challenging for some junior team members, but one that can make the most amount of difference.

Talk of the Week

This week, I’m delighted to share this October 2024 video of Leo Villareal from TED Next. His story of designing the light show on the Bay Bridge is visually inspiring and remarkable. Enjoy.

JD’s Recommendations: What I’m reading, hearing, and seeing:

• Reading: my colleague and co-conspirator for many years Allison Kluger wrote two great chapters in Brand 2.0: Propel Your Early Career Success. This useful book is a great gift for the grads earning degrees this time of year.

• Hearing: Ryan Holiday breaks down the joys of taking his son to see Hamilton in this episode of The Daily Dad podcast.

• Viewing: just for fun, give a look at James Veitch’s video: The Towel Rail; would have been great to share on April 1st with all of you.

Until next time…jds