Amazon Leadership Principles Flashcards
what are the amazon leadership principles?
Amazon’s Leadership Principles are a set of guidelines for how we think about behaviors within the business. There are 16 in total, and they are the framework of how we evaluate potential candidates for jobs here at Amazon.
1. Customer Obsession
2. Ownership
3. Invent and simplify
4. Are right, A lot
5. Learn and be curious
6. Hire and develop the best
7. Insist on the highest Standards.
8. Think Big
9. Bias for Action
10. Frugality
11. Earn Trust
12. Dive Deep
13. Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
14. Deliver Results
15. Strive to be Earth’s best employer
16. Success and scale bring broad responsibility
Explain the leadership priciple Customer Obsession.
Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.
Explain the leadership priciple Ownership.
Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job.”
Explain the leadership priciple Invent and Simplify.
Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.” As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time.
Explain the leadership priciple “Are Right, A Lot”.
Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.
Explain the leadership priciple “Learn and Be Curious”.
Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.
Explain the leadership priciple “Hire and Develop the Best”.
Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. We work on behalf of our people to invent mechanisms for development like Career Choice.
Explain the leadership priciple “Insist on the Highest Standards”.
Leaders have relentlessly high standards — many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.
Explain the leadership priciple “Think Big”.
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
Explain the leadership priciple “Bias for Action”.
Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.
Explain the leadership priciple “Frugality”.
Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.
Explain the leadership priciple “Earn Trust”.
Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.
Explain the leadership priciple “Dive Deep”.
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them.
Explain the leadership priciple “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit”.
Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.
Explain the leadership priciple “Deliver Results”.
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.