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Writing Driven Communications
Leadership / Concepts
Using written documents as the primary tool for thinking, alignment, and decisions.
Why Writing Matters
- Writing forces you to think clearly. Vague ideas become obvious when you try to write them down.
- A written document can be reviewed by many people asynchronously.
- It creates a record that survives meetings and memory.
How to Apply It
- Before meetings: Write a brief or agenda. Share it ahead of time.
- For decisions: Write an RFC or proposal. Let people comment before discussing.
- For strategy: Write it down. If you can't explain it in writing, it's not clear enough.
- After meetings: Capture decisions and action items in writing.
Amazon's Example
Amazon famously banned PowerPoint in meetings. Instead, meetings start with everyone reading a 6-page memo in silence. This ensures depth of thought and equal access to information.
The Habit
If it's important, write it down. If it's not written down, it didn't happen.
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