Amazon has a tradition of writing six page memos. When you get into a meeting, the first thing, everyone does is sit and read. No one has time to read outside of meetings, so they give time at the beginning of the meeting for everyone to read the memo and take notes. Once everyone has read, they start asking questions about the memo.
Why reading and writing beats other forms of communication
Speed and Pace of Consumption
The average reader can read 238 words per minute wheras the average person speaks at a rate of 110-150 words per minute. That means you can read through content faster than if you were listening to someone speak it. Reading also has the benefit of being able to control the pace. You can skim through certain sections that may be irrelevant and you can slow down when you need to.
Level of Engagement
Reading requires more brain power and as a result, you’re thinking of it at a deeper level when engaging with the text.
Conclusion
Reading and writing are skills I probably wouldn’t have ever thought of really developing or honing until I was at Amazon. Going through this brutal writing culture makes you realize that most people are actually not good at communicating their ideas and why a certain decision should be made. If you can hone that skill you’ll stand out.