Learn how to maintain objectivity and convey your message in business reports with these tips and strategies. Improve your tone, style, format, and content.

Yes indeed, strive to eliminate personal biases and opinions from your report. Present information objectively, and refrain from including unnecessary personal views or emotions. Stick to the facts and focus on providing a balanced perspective.

How can you maintain objectivity and convey your message in business reports?

Business reports are essential tools for communicating information, analysis, and recommendations to various audiences. However, writing a clear and effective report can be challenging, especially when you need to maintain objectivity and convey your message without bias or confusion. In this article, you will learn some tips and strategies to improve your business reporting skills and achieve your goals.

1 Know your purpose and audience

Before you start writing, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your report and who will read it. Your purpose and audience will determine the tone, style, format, and content of your report. For example, if you are writing a report for a senior executive, you should use a formal and concise tone, focus on the key findings and recommendations, and provide evidence and data to support your claims. If you are writing a report for a team of colleagues, you might use a more informal and conversational tone, include more details and explanations, and invite feedback and suggestions.

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Harithavalli Pinisetti

ServiceNow developer | Actively looking for Job in London area | Visa sponsorship is not required
Report contribution
As per my experience, I would suggest to follow below steps 1. Clarify Your Purpose 2. Understand Your Audience 3. Stick to the Facts 4. Avoid Assumptions and Opinions 5. Provide Context for Understanding 6. Address Stakeholder Concerns 7. Use Audience-Appropriate Language 8. Highlight Relevance to Stakeholders 9. Seek Feedback from Stakeholders 10. Review and Revise with Purpose in Mind

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
In my perspective and based on my past experiences, prioritizing understanding your audience and clearly defining your purpose is really the first step. The reason for issuing the report is intricately connected to the readership. Your audience, the stakeholders, play a pivotal role in the report's creation, as the primary goal is to connect with them, convey essential information, and drive actionable outcomes.

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Rodrigo Mendonça

Data & AI Sales Specialist @ Microsoft | Teacher | CIP, CDIA+
Report contribution
The way you package the message for your audience is as important as the message itself. Therefore, knowing the audience that will receive it is essential for it to be delivered in the right way.

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2 Use facts and logic

One of the main principles of objective reporting is to use facts and logic to support your message. You should avoid personal opinions, emotions, assumptions, or biases that might distort or undermine your credibility. You should also acknowledge any limitations, uncertainties, or alternative perspectives that might affect your analysis or conclusions. To ensure that your facts and logic are accurate and relevant, you should do thorough research, use reliable sources, cite your references, and check your data and calculations.

Add your perspective

Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
Yes indeed, strive to eliminate personal biases and opinions from your report. Present information objectively, and refrain from including unnecessary personal views or emotions. Stick to the facts and focus on providing a balanced perspective.

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Rodrigo Mendonça

Data & AI Sales Specialist @ Microsoft | Teacher | CIP, CDIA+
Report contribution
Make clear the data sources used and the assumptions adopted, as well as the logical paths that led to the conclusions presented. Nothing is worse for the reader of a report than leaps in inference in the reports without plausible explanations.

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3 Choose your words carefully

The words you choose can have a significant impact on how your message is perceived and understood by your audience. You should use clear, precise, and consistent language that avoids ambiguity, jargon, or slang. You should also use active voice, positive words, and parallel structures to make your report more engaging and readable. For example, instead of writing "The project was completed by the team ahead of schedule", you could write "The team completed the project ahead of schedule". Instead of writing "The results were not satisfactory", you could write "The results need improvement".

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
highly recommend steering clear of unnecessary jargon and maintaining a concise approach in your report. In my experience, executive tend to favor reports that are straightforward, delivering essential information without unnecessary details.

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4 Use visual aids

Visual aids, such as charts, graphs, tables, or diagrams, can help you present complex or numerical information in a simple and attractive way. They can also help you highlight trends, patterns, or comparisons that might be difficult to convey with words alone. However, you should use visual aids sparingly and strategically, and make sure they are relevant, accurate, and consistent with your message. You should also provide captions, labels, titles, and legends to explain your visual aids and link them to your text.

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
Consider incorporating visual graphics and charts strategically. Visual aids, such as well-designed charts and graphs, can efficiently convey complex data, making it more accessible and easier for investors to grasp key insights at a glance. Opt for clear and visually appealing representations that enhance the overall readability of your report.

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5 Organize your report

A well-organized report can help you structure your message, guide your audience, and create a logical flow of information. You should use headings, subheadings, bullets, numbers, or other devices to divide your report into sections and subsections. You should also use transitions, summaries, and signposts to connect your ideas and show the relationships between them. A typical report structure consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide the background, purpose, scope, and main points of your report. The body should develop your main points with facts, logic, and evidence. The conclusion should summarize your findings, recommendations, and implications.

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
Pay attention to the overall visual design of your report. Use appropriate fonts, headings, and formatting to make the content easily digestible. A well-organized and visually appealing report enhances readability.

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6 Revise and edit your report

The final step of writing a report is to revise and edit your report to improve its quality and clarity. You should review your report for content, organization, style, and language, and make any necessary changes or corrections. You should also proofread your report for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors, and use tools such as spell checkers, grammar checkers, or style guides to help you. You might also ask someone else to read your report and give you feedback or suggestions.

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
Before finalizing your report, consider having someone who is not familiar with the topic read it. Usually, I forward it to a friend working in another department or direction to confirm how easy it's for him to understand the message. This can help you identify areas that may be unclear or need further explanation.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Jean Moise NDOH

Strategic Operations Leader | Shaping a Better Future with Technology, Values & Vision
Report contribution
You should test your report: Before finalizing your report, consider having someone who is not familiar with the topic read it. A colleague from another department can be useful. This can help you identify areas that may be unclear or need further explanation.

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How can you maintain objectivity and convey your message in business reports?

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1 Know your purpose and audience

2 Use facts and logic

3 Choose your words carefully

4 Use visual aids

5 Organize your report

6 Revise and edit your report

7 Here’s what else to consider

Business Reporting

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