Yes, S.I.R.!
When you need to brief your boss in person or in writing, consider using the S.I.R. technique. I found this great business communication tip on www.sideroad.com. When Richard Fouts sits down to write, he organizes his work according to S.I.R. or Situation, Impact and Resolution.
Fouts writes: S.I.R. “was given to me by a former marine sergeant who used this model to brief his commanders, under fire, when facts were critical and time could mean the difference between life and death.”
So maybe your work isn’t “life and death,” but this is a simple method to communicate clearly and succinctly. It works by answering three simple questions:
1. What’s the situation?
2. What impact is it causing?
3. What’s your recommended resolution?
When time is money, these questions get to the heart of the problem and its solution. The S.I.R. method also shows your boss that you’re a problem-solver not a problem-screamer.
See examples of the S.I.R. method in action.
Tags: Business Communication, business writing, Solving Problems at Work
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January 24, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Kinda reminds me of the W-H-Y technique referred to in your 12/15/07 blog entry. Both seem like great organizational strategies. It’s true. If your thinking is organized, your writing will be organized. The result is what we all like to read and strive to write: clear and meaningful communication.