Hello Reader,

Last week I found myself fire-hosing a room full of stakeholders with diagrams of our new AI-powered intake platform. Five minutes in, eyes glazed; ten minutes, phones were out. The picture in my head? Crystal. To them? A jumble of jargon.

That communication tangle points straight to the Minto Pyramid—a framework that stacks your thoughts into a clear top-down pyramid: headline answer first, supporting arguments next, evidence at the base.

When explanations ramble and attention spans wobble, this structure delivers the takeaway up front and lets busy brains relax into the logic beneath. That’s why consultants frame decks pyramid-style, journalists craft inverted-pyramid leads, and great managers answer “So what?” before diving into details.

Looking to sharpen your storytelling and decision delivery? I’ve folded the Minto Pyramid (and 99 other models) into Re:Mind, a pocket-sized clarity toolkit. Thanks to our incredible community, the Kickstarter raised $8.4K, exceeded both stretch goals, and became a "Project We Love."

If you missed the campaign, late pledges are still available. And if there’s someone in your orbit who could use sharper thinking tools, I’d be grateful if you passed Re:Mind along.

Why Use It

Understanding the Minto Pyramid turns scattered thoughts into persuasive communication. By surfacing the main point first, it respects your audience’s time, boosts retention, and spotlights your thinking—not your slide count.

When to Use It

• Pitching leadership: Start with the recommendation, then the three reasons it makes strategic sense.
• Writing proposals: Lead with the promised outcome, follow with cost, timeline, impact.
• Answering interview questions: Open with the conclusion (“Yes, here’s why”) before unpacking examples.

How to Use It

There’s a scene in Hidden Figures where Katherine Johnson, surrounded by doubters at NASA, walks to the chalkboard and begins outlining complex orbital calculations in real time. No fluff, no build-up—just the answer first, followed by the logic that proves it.

That’s the Minto Pyramid in action. In high-stakes environments where time is scarce and clarity is power, stating the conclusion upfront is essential.

Here’s how to apply it:

• Start with the answer: Draft a one-line takeaway that answers the audience’s key question. If they stopped reading there, would they still get your message?
• Group arguments logically: Use the rule of three to structure supporting points that reinforce your message—cohesive, not exhaustive.
• Layer supporting evidence: Under each reason, add proof points in a clear sequence—either general-to-specific or specific-to-general. Never mix both in the same group.

Next Steps

1. Jot your main recommendation in one bold line.
2. List three pillars that support it; delete anything that doesn’t fit.
3. Add bullet‑level evidence under each pillar, then read top‑to‑bottom—does the story flow?

Where It Came From

Barbara Minto codified this approach at McKinsey in the 1970s after watching executives tune out unless the answer came first. Her Pyramid Principle became consulting gospel, and decades of cognitive science have backed it up: we process structured information faster and retain it longer.

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Until next time, keep exploring and questioning. Your unique perspective is your greatest asset.

Think Independently, JC

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