"The Pee Pee Rule” of Executive Communication

Why the leaders who rise fastest are often the ones who communicate with the greatest clarity under pressure.

There’s a communication principle leaders and teams who work with me know well. I developed it during my time with The Walt Disney Company, while working on the strategy and launch of the Disney+ product across the globe. Over 80 daily reports were landing in the Entertainment Division President’s inbox, countless shiny presentation decks, and not enough clarity. There wasn’t time to read each report in the haystack, connect the dots, and hope he finds the needle.

While the norm was to produce glossy, shiny, illustrated presentation decks to communicate at this level of seniority, I chose starkly simple and minimalist. Text directly in email, black and white, just the salient points. No extra clicks needed, unless he wished to dive into further detail.

I affectionately call this principle:

The Pee Pee Rule.

Yes, really.

The idea is simple:

If an executive gets up from their desk to go to the bathroom and reads your email on the way there, they should be clear on these three components, with ideally zero follow-up questions needed:

1. Headline: What is the takeaway? Start with the lead, don’t bury the lead.

2. Impact: Why does this matter? What is this allowing to happen next and progress? What is this preventing from happening? What is the cost, risk, or opportunity?

3. Ask: What is the ask you are making? Do you want them to know about it to be in the loop? Do you need them to make a decision? To take an action? Remove an obstacle? Grant authority? 

That’s it.

Not three screens of context.

Not a suspense novel.

Not a scavenger hunt for the actual point.

And definitely not another pretty side deck.

Just clarity.

It’s funny and catchy to remember and it’s also seriously helpful.

Because one of the biggest communication mistakes we see in organizations, especially among high performers, is confusing thoroughness with effectiveness.

People over-explain. Bury the lead. Provide every detail before naming the actual issue. Write emails that require interpretation instead of action.

Why?

Because something they care about feels at risk.

They don’t want to leave something out.

They want to appear thoughtful.

They’re afraid of being misunderstood.

They’re trying to manage perception, soften tension, avoid scrutiny, or prove competence.

But executive-level communication is not about demonstrating how much you know.

It’s about reducing friction.

Strong leaders communicate in ways that create:

• clarity

• alignment

• momentum

• confidence

• trust

Especially under pressure.

Because when stakes are high, attention spans shrink.

Executives are navigating constant context-switching, competing priorities, emotional pressure, operational complexity, and decision fatigue. They do not need more noise. They need signal.

The people who become trusted at senior levels are often the ones who can:

• synthesize complexity quickly

• identify what matters most

• communicate risk clearly

• name the decision needed

• and make action easier for everyone around them

This is leadership communication.

And interestingly, this isn’t just about email.

The Pee Pee Rule is really about cognitive empathy.

It asks:

What does this person need from me right now?

Not: What do I need to say to feel complete?

That shift changes communication dramatically.

• Meetings become shorter

• Decisions happen faster

• Trust increases

• Teams feel less overwhelmed

• Executives stop chasing clarity through ten follow-up questions

You begin sounding more grounded, strategic, and credible.

You get to grow your brand through respect and influence.

Because clarity communicates leadership. Not verbosity. Not performance. Not intellectual theater. Clarity.

Before you hit send, ask yourself: Am I creating clarity or managing my own anxiety through over-explaining?