Accenture’s CEO for North America, Julie Sweet, made a bold move when she took over the reigns. “When I became CEO about 18 months ago, I banned the memo,” Sweet told CNBC. “I said, ‘I’m going to use webcast. I’m going to use video.'” She called it one of the best decisions she’s ever made.
Instead of using email to communicate to Accenture’s 50,000 employees, Sweet uses live and pre-taped webcasts, and it has transformed the nature of communication across the company.
The use of video Sweet says encourages an off-the-cuff quality. Sweet’s livestreams are not scripted and leave time for Q&A feedback which she can address in real time. She’s attempting to create a culture where leadership is authentic, starting at the top.
Sweet told CNBC, “It is very hard to transform your culture and your workforce to be a relevant company in the digital world if all of your processes are stuck in the traditional world.”
This is one very clear case in which the video medium showcases a leader’s authenticity and can help substantiate a company’s culture.