If clarity is a problem, then the secret to improving your communication may be to spend more time planning what you will say before putting it down on paper. Jot down a few words, phrases, or other notes to help organize your thinking. Outlining is also helpful, particularly if you are writing a lengthy memo.
In outlining, break the document down into a lead sentence; separate paragraphs, each for a different thought; introductory sentences for each paragraph to position it within the main document and allow for scanning; and a closing or summary statement at the end. Once you start writing, keep in mind this important point: managers don’t have time to write a long document unless the content demands it, and their readers don’t have time to read a long document unless the content requires it.