Stop defaulting to video calls.
“Quick sync?” Video call. “Got a question?” Video call. “Need to discuss?” Video call.
This is lazy. It’s also exhausting.
Video calls demand full attention. You can’t do anything else. You can’t think while someone’s talking. You can’t reference documents easily. You can’t respond thoughtfully. You have to react instantly.
Worse: video calls leave no artifact. The discussion happens, decisions get made, and then… nothing. No record. No reference. Two weeks later, nobody remembers what was decided.
The hierarchy:
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Write it first. A document, a proposal, a question with context. Let people read and think before responding.
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Comment async. Reactions, suggestions, approvals. All captured, all searchable.
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Voice if needed. Sometimes tone matters. A quick voice memo or audio call can resolve ambiguity without the overhead of video.
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Video as last resort. Complex negotiations. Sensitive conversations. Brainstorming that truly needs real-time interaction. Rare.
Most teams have this inverted. They start with video and escalate to writing only when they need documentation.
Flip it.
Video has its place. But that place is small.
Write first. Call rarely. Your team will thank you.