What should a weekly update include?

A status, on course or deviating, and three answers: what got done, challenges, and next steps. Three to four sentences each is enough to act on without turning it into a report.

Who writes the weekly update?

The person who owns the priority. Every priority has one owner, so every priority gets one update a week.

Why only two statuses?

Options like “at risk” or “a little behind” become places to hide. On course or deviating makes the owner give a real answer while there’s still time to help.

Can I use this without Unbreakable OS?

Yes. Paste it into a doc, an email or Slack. In Unbreakable OS the same update is built in, on the web and on your phone, and leaders see every update in one place.

Free template

Weekly update template

One status and three answers, once a week, from the person who owns the work. Copy it into a doc, an email or Slack, or print it.

Weekly update

Template · unbreakable-os.com

PriorityThe one result you committed to this month

OwnerOne person

Week ofDate

Status

On course
Deviating

What got doneThree to four sentences. Lead with results, with numbers where you have them.

ChallengesThree to four sentences. What’s in the way, and who is on it.

Next stepsThree to four sentences. Things a teammate could check next week.

Last update of the month

Close the priority. There’s no in-between.

Result

Executed
Failed

What were the results?Required. What happened, with numbers, and what next month should learn from it.

Free to use and share. No sign-up.

How to use it

Give every priority one owner. The owner writes the update, not their manager.
Pick a day and post every week, even when it was a quiet week.
Choose on course or deviating. On course means you still expect to deliver by the end of the month. Deviating means you don’t, as things look today.
Answer each question in three to four sentences. Lead with what happened, with numbers where you have them.
On the last update of the month, close the priority as executed or failed and write down the results.

Why it works

One line, like “making progress”, tells a leader nothing. A page is more than anyone will read. Three to four sentences an answer is enough to act on, and short enough that it gets written every week.

There are only two statuses because every extra one becomes a place to hide. Deviating isn’t failing. Marked in week two, it still leaves time to help, cut the scope or move people around.

In Unbreakable OS

This is built in.

Owners post this same update from the web app or their phone. Leaders see which priorities are on course or deviating across the company, without a status meeting.

Try it free for 45 days See how it works

Common questions

What should a weekly update include?: A status, on course or deviating, and three answers: what got done, challenges, and next steps. Three to four sentences each is enough to act on without turning it into a report.
Who writes the weekly update?: The person who owns the priority. Every priority has one owner, so every priority gets one update a week.
Why only two statuses?: Options like “at risk” or “a little behind” become places to hide. On course or deviating makes the owner give a real answer while there’s still time to help.
Can I use this without Unbreakable OS?: Yes. Paste it into a doc, an email or Slack. In Unbreakable OS the same update is built in, on the web and on your phone, and leaders see every update in one place.

Keep going

Weekly updates

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