[dx034]

Yes, a lot gets lost in an email vs. video. I'm not saying it has to be a live meeting, but videos of execs talking about strategy often make their ideas much clearer than a written text.

And live has the big advantage that it cannot be re-recorded, so it's more natural and not as rehearsed as a recorded video.

[vasco]

If a strategy is clearer orally than on paper, something is very wrong. Either you're getting bamboozled by charisma and a bad plan is getting a fake dress up OR they don't know how to write.

[johannes1234321]

It's not about the abstract strategy. It is also about trust. Are they presenting it in a way I trust they believe it? Is it just show?

[hnlmorg]

…or some people just prefer visual interactions to text only formats.

This is very true in my case because I’m dyslexic so I ingest context more easily when heard vs when read.

For other people, it might just be a personal preference. Just like you have the personal preference to read rather than watch.

Arguing that the GP has some major character flaw because of their own personal preference really says more about your own character than it does theirs.

[vasco]

I said zero things about the GP.

Also it's not personal preference. If you're an executive you need to know how to write properly. Execs rely on oral communication to use their charisma points on you, when you read the plans many times they have nothing to do with what was said or it's much simpler. Same with politicians.

[hnlmorg]

A good all hands meeting is about much more than just outlining company strategy.

It’s about uniting everyone emotionally as well as academically.

The emotional component is an absolutely a critical part.

And this is one of the tells for a company that cares about staff moral verses those that don’t. One that care make their all hands about the employees too.

[TeMPOraL]

It's not about interactions. Sure, some people prefer or respond better to talk than to reading, or video, etc. But if the execs can't articulate their plan in writing, and can only explain it over words, it's a good indication they don't understand it themselves and it's probably nonsense - for the same reason your exciting, beautiful solution to a programming problem falls apart when you're three lines into writing it down.

Turns out, people have only so much working memory, but are good at covering for it with emotions.

[hnlmorg]

Sure. But when all hands meetings are done well then they aren’t just about communicating company strategy. They’re about the employees too.

You’ll see demos from colleagues in different departments who you might not normally work with. And individuals praised for specific wins.

A good all hands should be for the staff, not for the execs. And that’s the harder skill execs need to learn: when to stfu and let their staff have screen time.

If all hands is done well, it brings the business closer and motivates employees in ways that an email couldn’t. However this is lost on most execs and so all hands often ends up being an ego trip for themselves, and when that happens the thats when things need to be communicated via email.

[spicycode]

I'm not opposed to video, but if stuff gets lost in the written version that's more a statement on poor exec written communication skills than video being better than text.

People ingest info differently, and being able to communicate the same info in multiple ways should be table stakes at that level.

[krageon]

The video just gives execs more leverage to use the skills they use every day (people skills) to overwhelm the skills you use every day (charitably either the same skills or some sort of knowledge or physical skill). The more they're comfortable, the worse off you are. Their entire position within the company hinges on being able to exploit you for as much as you're willing to let them get away with, which hinges upon how well they're able to convince you you're worth less than they are (after all, you earn less).

Giving them anything is the wrong move. If you think you are getting as much out of the video as they are getting out of you watching them speak, you are wrong. The degree of wrong depends on your affinity with their chosen craft (which is, to be clear, grifting you).