WHAT THIS IS

The Pyramid Principle, developed by Barbara Minto at McKinsey, is one of the simplest and most effective frameworks for communicating ideas clearly, especially in strategy and leadership contexts.

It’s based on a single rule:

Start with the answer, the “so what”, then support it with logic, evidence, and detail.

In other words, think before you build slides.

The clarity is won on paper, not in PowerPoint.

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WHY IT MATTERS

When communicating strategy or recommendations to senior leaders, the biggest mistake is building a deck before knowing your point.

You end up editing slides instead of shaping thinking.

The Pyramid Principle helps you:

• Frame your argument clearly and concisely

• Communicate complex ideas with logic and flow

• Respect your audience’s time and attention span

• Keep the focus on insight rather than information

Senior audiences want your answer first, not a journey through how you got there.