So you've been asked to provide a review or summary for the boss' boss or even higher up.  Top, middle or bottom... your rank is moot!  You have been chosen for a reason. That reason could be technical, social, or political.  The most important thing for you to know is that -- IT IS A BRIEF.

Executive Reviews or Summary Presentations don't "win" or "sell" any more than a resume gets you a job.  They are strictly informative -- purposeful and meaningful.  These tools exist to create, focus, redirect, or kill interest.  Make sure you understand your purpose and don't stray.

Depending on your objectives and the mission of your target audience, the purpose may be to secure an action or the next meeting (job analogy:  resume --> interview).  Other desired outcomes for a review or summary:  break-out session, follow-up meeting, all-hands safety notice, agenda item added to staff meeting, do nothing, etc.

This is a good time to point out -- this may be a significant moment in your work-life, but this is a normal day for Joe or Jane Executive.  Why is this important? Too many people get freakishly anxious about the potential do nothing "desired outcome."  You probably don't have access to all the political realities, the executive calendar, or their private dialog (or how you are being used to further their agenda).

Don't ever assume too much... and don't get freakishly anxious; it's just unhealthy.

Prime Directive: Simple, simple, simple.

1. "Today." Where are we now?
2. "Tomorrow." Where are we going?
3. "When in doubt - Leave it out."

Yesterday has no place in your summary.  Executives RARELY want to waste facetime on where they've been.  Send them an email if you want to grouse your post mortem issues or parade accomplishments.  However, before you go lobbing potentially career ending email, you may wish to clear any lobbing with your immediate chain-of-command first. :-)