Tips for Writing and Delivering a Briefing in the Workplace

Oct 13 / RICHARD G. JONES, JR., PH.D.
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Hello communication leaders!

This is the fourth blog post in a series we are doing on how to communicate more effectively in business settings.  

Check out our previous posts in this series here: 1. Tips for Communicating with Executives and Supervisors , 2.Tips for Communicating with Colleagues and Employees & 3. Tips for Communicating with Clients, Customers, and Funding Sources
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In this post, we are going to focus on how to effectively write and deliver a briefing presentation at work.  
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What is a Briefing?

We’ll all need to present at work or in a business setting at some point, so why not be prepared and show off your public speaking skills?
Briefings are short presentations that either update listeners about recent events or provide instructions for how to do something job related. Briefings may occur as upward, downward, or horizontal communication
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Examples of Types of Briefing

  • An industrial designer briefing project managers on the preliminary results of testing on a new product design is an example of upward briefing.  
  • A nurse who is the shift manager briefing an incoming shift of nurses on the events of the previous shift is an example of downward briefing.  
  • A representative from human resources briefing colleagues on how to use the new workplace identification badges is an example of horizontal briefing.  
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Technical briefings are the most common type of workplace presentation

Briefings that provide instructions like how to use a new identification badge are called technical briefings, and they are the most common type of workplace presentation. For technical briefings, consider whether your audience is composed of insiders, outsiders, or a mixture of people different levels of familiarity with the function, operation, and/or specifications of the focus of the briefing. Remember that technical speaking requires an ability to translate unfamiliar or complex information into content that is understandable and manageable for others. 
We’ll have a blog post soon with more information about technical speaking. 

How do I write and present a briefing at work?

  • As the name suggests, briefings are
    brief—usually two or three minutes.  
  • Since they are content focused, they do not require formal speech organization, complete with introduction and conclusion.  
  • Briefings are often delivered as a series of bullet points, organized topically or chronologically.  
  • The content of a briefing is usually a summary of information or a series of distilled facts, so there are rarely elements of persuasion in a briefing or much supporting information.  
  • A speaker may use simple visual aids, like an object or even a one-page handout, but more complex visual aids are usually not appropriate.  
  • In terms of delivery, briefings should be organized. Since they are usually delivered under time constraints and contain important information, brief notes and extemporaneous delivery are effective.   

We offer custom one-on-one coaching to help you deliver winning presentations at work! Learn more about our one-on-one coaching here: 

Let Us Know What You Think

We hope these tips help you in your day-to-day communication in business and professional settings. Let us know your thoughts! Connect with us via email (connectcla@communicationleaderacademy.com) or post a reply on social media.  


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If you would like custom content or training/consulting for your team, let us know and we’ll be happy to help! Learn more about our consulting services here: 
 And, stay tuned for more blogs in this series that focus on how to communicate more effectively in business settings. 

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