Amazon Leadership Principle 11: Earn Trust

The Core of ‘Earn Trust’

The leadership principle ‘Earn Trust’ emphasizes the importance of communication and honesty. It is about being aware of how things are going and precisely at what point they are and, if something is going wrong, taking responsibility for it so the issue can be fixed and won’t happen again in the future. The principle ‘Earn Trust’ is essentially about being honorable.

Modesty and Accountability

This principle is also about being modest and, instead of bragging about your achievements, taking responsibility for failure. If you want to fix a problem, you first have to recognize its existence. You can’t be so blinded by all the good things you have done that you miss issues that could have been solved or chances to improve on something.

Trust Shines Through in Difficult Moments

The leadership principle ‘Earn Trust’ is seen most when things go wrong. People who work at Amazon try their best to discover mistakes, admit to mistakes, and fix the issues as quickly as possible to ensure that everything gets back on track.

Expectations of Amazon Employees

If you work at Amazon, you are expected to be able to recognize your own mistakes and point them out to other people. You are also required to do your best to meet the best standards.

Amazon’s Perspective on Earning Trust

The following quote shows how Amazon thinks of the leadership principle ‘Earn Trust’:

“Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.”

Characteristics of People Who Earn Trust

People who earn trust will recognize when they make mistakes, admit to their errors, identify potential problems, work diligently to resolve those issues, hold themselves accountable, strive for high standards, make informed decisions, treat others with respect, and actively listen to others.

How Amazon Evaluates Trust in Interviews

In an interview, Amazon seeks examples of instances where you have identified problems or mistakes and taken responsibility for them. At Amazon, it is believed that leaders should earn trust by taking responsibility for failure even when it is not directly their fault. If you demonstrate to team members that you can take the blame, they will trust you more and forget the failure. If you are a leader of a team, you need to take the blame for the good and bad outcomes.

Trust and Teamwork

You should also show that earning trust is essential to you. The best teamwork happens when the team members trust each other. The atmosphere of trust should be created by a leader who already has the trust of their team members and trusts them.

Sample Interview Questions for ‘Earn Trust’

When have you had to earn someone’s trust quickly?
Describe a time you failed in your job.
How do you build trust among your team members?
Tell me about a time you wanted to do something but needed your unwilling team to agree to do it. What did you do? What happened?
Describe a time someone criticized your work. What was your reaction, and what was the result?
Tell me about a time you were not able to keep a promise to a peer. What did you promise and why couldn’t you keep it? What did you learn?

Final Tips for Demonstrating Trustworthiness

When you answer questions about the principle ‘Earn Trust’ in an interview, you should show that you often go above and beyond to ensure that your projects are successful. You should demonstrate that you can set higher standards for yourself and your project. You should also show that you are willing to admit to mistakes in your work, listen to other people’s opinions, and give your own honest feedback to others even when it is difficult. People appreciate honest feedback and become better because of it.