SEER and SumEx
Here are 2 writing methods I learned from Manager ToolsSurprisingly, they don’t have a cast specifically on this topic. You can refer to this forum post by Mark or their podcast Preparing Performance Review.
. I use them everywhere, but Manager Tools introduced them as effective templates for writing performance reviews and the ilk.
SEER
The SEER method is a technique to write short, powerful messages. In the method, you write a 4 sentence paragraph with a very particular structure. In order: you “Summarize the point,” “Elaborate what you mean,”“provide an Example,” “and Restate the summary.” Summarize, Elaborate, Example, Recap: SEER. This format provides a simple way to write a powerful message.
The easiest way to write SEER is to start with a “madlib style” format:
- My main point is …
- In particular, …
- For example, …
- My main point is …
If this feels too formulaic, you can remove the “madlibs prompts” (e.g. “in particular”) and leave just your normal text.
Here are some examples:
- Grace Hopper is a famous computer scientist. In particular, she has a lasting legacy of work. For example, she invented the COBOL programming language which is still widely used. Grace Hopper is an inspiration to modern computer scientists.
- Bob is my best customer service rep. He consistently exceeds every service standard the company puts on customer service reps. He recently saved a difficult call after 3 other reps failed to do so. He is an example we have to put on every training video
SumEx
The SumEx method is a simplified form of SEER for shorter messages. You only use two sentences when using it, “Summarizing your point” before “providing an Example.”
Here are some examples:
- Grace Hopper is a famous computer scientist with a lasting legacy. For example, she invented the COBOL programming language which is still widely used.
- Bob is my best customer service rep. He recently saved a difficult call after 3 other reps failed to do so.