16 Amazon Leadership Principles Explained By Dr. Ondrej Krehel

The Leadership Principles are a list of principles that define and shape the company’s culture. Amazon uses these principles every day in making decisions at all levels. To be a worker at Amazon, you must be familiar with all these principles.

Customer Obsession

Leaders in Amazon look out for their customers and care about their best interests. When faced with a decision, they consider how they think the customers would respond to it. They work to earn and keep the customers’ trust.

Ownership

Leaders must go beyond their job to get other parts of the full job done. If they fail with something, they must take full responsibility and ownership for it. They do things on behalf of the entire company.

Invent and Simplify

Leaders think about how to make things faster, cheaper, and better for the customer. They always find some way to simplify and look for new ideas from everywhere.

Are right

Leaders must have strong business judgment and good instincts. Failures and successes have shaped you into a good leader. Leaders work to contradict their beliefs.

Hire and Develop the Best

Leaders must recognize good talent and hire and promote only to raise the accomplishments. Leaders teach leaders and take their role seriously.

Insist on the Highest Standards

Leaders have unreasonably high expectations and standards. They must drive their team to always do better and make sure that problems are addressed and fixed. They make sure that their teams deliver high-quality products and services.

Think Big

Leaders think differently and come up with a strategy and vision. Balance between being analytical and looking at the bigger picture. Think creatively about ways to serve customers.

Bias for Action

Leaders recognize that speed matters in business. They appreciate calculated risk taking. Often people get caught up in planning, and as a result they do not act quickly enough.

Frugality

Leaders accomplish more with less and spend their money wisely. They make sure money is used for improving customer experience and not wasted on things that are non-essential.

Learn and Be Curious

Leaders are always learning and always look for ways to improve themselves. They recognize that curiosity leads to creativity and look for new ideas and possibilities.

Earn Trust

Leaders treat others with respect and listen to them. They are critical of themselves and are proactive in uncovering problems and mistakes. They believe that the first step to solving a problem is acknowledging that it exists.

Dive Deep

Leaders operate at all levels and know that no job is beneath them. They stay focused on the details and are ready to talk about what they did in a situation and how they impacted the business.

Have Backbone

Leaders respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when it can be uncomfortable or tiring. They commit fully once a decision is made. They recognize that disagreement is encouraged if they have good reasons for it.

Deliver Results

Leaders rise to the occasion despite setbacks. They see that it is all about performance and results. They pay attention to the key inputs of the business and deliver them.

Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer

Leaders work to ensure a safer, more productive, higher performing, more diverse, and more just work environment. They have fun and make it easier for others to do so. They make sure their fellow employees are growing and ready for the next task.

Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

Leaders recognize that the business is big and has a huge impact but is not perfect. The planet needs business to get better every day. Leaders start each day with a determination to be and do better and end the day thinking about doing better the next day. They leave things much better than how they found them.

Many of the principles are connected and create a more coherent culture. One example of experience can include more than one of these principles. These Leadership Principles can help leaders in many ways, including decision-making, building trust, influencing others, clear communication, and personal and professional growth. Leaders who lead from their values find it easier to inspire and less to manipulate.