# Anti-Reports By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-01-30 Reports are easy to ignore. Organizations produce a nearly endless supply of reports. Throughout the organization, various departments likely produce various reports throughout the year. The report could be focused on previous activities. It might contain forecasts about the future. Any report value likely comes from the writing rather than the reading. Interestingly, the advent of AI might quickly erode the benefit of writing the report, so there might be little to no use. Things could be different. Reading the reports could be the basis of meaningful engagement and action. But, many structural reasons contribute to making this unlikely. An approach of anti-reports could produce better results. Under the anti-report approach, people have discussions. Instead of the CEO directing a report, the person could ask the individual to go out for a cup of coffee and discuss the issue. During this discussion, the CEO could ask about things that are truly interesting. One could ask for the status and one’s assessment of it. The CEO could ask what one thinks. If the CEO and the individual did this over a cup of coffee, about two hours would be expended (an hour each). How long does it take to write a report? How long does it take to read a report? The anti-report approach could be radically more efficient. Reports are propaganda, either for the organization or the person producing it. Perhaps reports are an act of mutually beneficial propaganda, which explains why they persist despite more efficient options. Somewhat paradoxically, being anti-reports is not the same as being anti-writing. The act of personal writing can sharpen one’s thoughts. Being anti-report is privileging the real over the symbolic. It is abundantly clear which most organizations value more. #### Related Items [[Reporting]] [[Thinking]] [[Writing]] [[Organization]] [[Propaganda]] [[Meetings]]