Jeff Bezos Leadership Style

A witty man once said, “If you’re going to take bold bets, they’re going to be experiments, and if they’re experiments, you don’t know ahead of time if they’re going to work. Experiments are by their very nature, prone to failure. But a few big successes compensate for dozens and dozens of things that didn’t work.” Jeff Bezos presented these words of wisdom and this is evident in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style.

Bezos is a Mexican born on January 12th, 1964. Since a child, he was inclined towards science and technology. He was a National Merit Scholar- further received two bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

He then worked with D.E. Shaw & Co. firm. In 1994, he decided to leave the job and join the online uprising trend. That was the initial step towards Amazon, which was inaugurated in 1995, July 16th. Firstly, it was just a seller of books. Later, Amazon began to increase its products and their diversity.

This led to the encouragement and diversification of the products and services of Amazon. Not merely paperback, they started Kindle editions of books. Also, audiobooks became a part of Amazon later.

Following specific rules and styles made Jeff Bezos, Person of the year in the year ’99 by TIME’s Magazine. Therefore, to follow his leadership style, observe each point mentioned below.

Introduction

Jeff is a fantastic leader, CEO, and founder of Amazon. Amazon has always been a company that puts its customers first. Before taking his hands-on launching Amazon, he made his vision clear. He was very clear about his customers and what they desired. He made sure he has a plan which would be beneficial for society.

Also, the market is crucial. When you have a plan or business but no demand, it won’t work. This means one needs to comprehend which market is being operated. Be a leader for the people, customers as well as workers.

Also, you should never miss an opportunity to promote your business. Bezos did the same. Promotions need to be done right. Keep things clear. What you want to show and what is private.

Analysis of Jeff Bezos Leadership Style

1. Role of being specific and brief in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

Jeff Bezos has always hated long PowerPoint presentations. In Amazon, the leaders and managers desire a written memo of 6 pages instead of meetings. They think this is a better idea to know the agenda instead of long discussions.

A brief description of the task with a specific narrative makes a clear vision in front of those who are to work on that project.

They also prefer a written memo because it is short and specific. Therefore more comfortable to observe and understand. One can focus on each work and comprehend what is expected. Rather than wasting hours in a meeting, the leaders and managers cooperate with their written work.

2. Role of Remaining patient in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

Patience is an obligatory requirement to be a good leader. And that is what Jeff prioritizes. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon. He kept his target clear and remained patient. He didn’t have any associated with outside. Neither moral support nor any communication. All he did by himself.

As he wanted to develop an e-commerce portal, he remained patient. He wanted to serve his customers. He always claimed that he preferred the path which wasn’t the safest, yet he was determined.

Though we were criticized everything paid off at last. And, that commitment and patience made him what he is today — one of the richest men on this planet.

3. Role of hiring the best in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

He declared that people and companies matter to him a lot. He doesn’t bother avoiding those who aren’t creative and resourceful. He believes that every factor matters and the companies should look into it. Being specific, he is obsessed with hiring the best and brilliant people for his company.

The employees and workers matter a lot, to every company. You can’t hire anyone without having skills for the integrity and benefit of your organization. For instance, let’s consider hid recent hiring.

He hired Christine Beauchamp as the president of Amazon Fashion. And this indicates his determination and dedication towards each project.

4. Role of ensuring Independence of employees in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

Amazon employees aren’t dependent on anyone. They have full control of whatever they want to do for the betterment of Amazon. They are free to come up with innovative ideas. They are unrestricted to think creatively. This requires faith in your employees.

Being a leader, Jeff believes in guiding them in the right direction. Instead of taking them to the path, a leader should show the way and clear vision. It’s not good to hold them and order. Just believe in them and let them be creative.

This is an essential requirement. Any organization works by the work of its workers. And when workers are dealt with properly, they work efficiently.

5. Role of Promoting fresh people in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style  

The hiring process is crucial, and so is the right time. In “One Click” he says that “Amazon promotes extensively from within.” With this, he believes that people should be given opportunities. Amazon promotes its workers and employees and encourages them to work.

This allows fresh workers to develop and grow well. With this improvement, they will do better in their existing roles. This is beneficial for their growth as an employee, and it boosts their confidence. Enthusiasm is needed, and so is promotion.

Everything works simultaneously. People work effectively when they’re appreciated. That’s what our great leader believes and works on.

6. Role of Decision making in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

Decision making is the base of any company. The way the leader decides to take the path and follow it. This determines the future of any company. And Amazon is one the best with dealing and choosing.

This makes it scurry and grow efficiently. And not only the leaders but workers as well are encouraged to take decisions. Be it good or bad in the future. It doesn’t matter much if it helps any customer anyhow.

Once recalling the “one-click check out” of Amazon, he said, “Most decisions should probably be made with somewhere around 70% of the information you wish you had. If you wait for 90%, in most cases, you’re probably slow.”

These lines uttered by him are witty enough to approve his determination and deciding skills.

7. Role of Following trends and trying new things in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style  

Amazon never fails to amaze us, as it initiated from an online seller of books to be one of the biggest online stores of every product. Be it books, clothing, footwear, accessories, or anything in the trend. Amazon isn’t gripped. It always stretches and tries to add new things in their store.

Although many tech giants are failing to change, on the other hand, Jeff competes in this competitive environment and remains the best. New opportunities are always at the doorsteps of Amazon, and they welcome it happily.

This makes Amazon evolve faster and better with every passing day. They do not worry about taking a risk; rather, they take it as opportunities to build themselves.

8. Role of not fearing the failures in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

Bezos’s style of leadership is about grabbing opportunities. He never fears to take the risk. Amazon was one of the online stores which weren’t created by any inspiration. Jeff had this aspiration of becoming an entrepreneur who would launch Amazon for the benefit of people.

Jeff Bezos is a high-risk taker. Many times he has taken the risk of thinking out of the box. He failed at times but never gave up.

He stood up again and again. He tried Whole Food Ventures, and the Pets.com bet was a disaster, yet he was adamant. He didn’t fear failures. He always looked for opportunities instead of crying over failure.

9. Role of having a clear vision in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

“Our vision is to be the world’s most consumer-centric company, where customers can come to find anything they want to buy online.” Words of Jeff are as unusual as Amazon. Showing a clear vision to his stakeholders, workers, and managers has always been his motive. He never gives any target, which isn’t explained enough.

He always wanted Amazon to be such a store where people can find everything in a single mart. Vision is for direction, and Jeff believes in providing clear guidance to his people and customers. In his organization, people know their ulterior motives, and when they know it, it gets easier to work on it.

10. Customers are the priority in Jeff Bezos Leadership Style 

For Jeff, customers are everything. He thinks, takes risks, fails, and retakes risks until the goal is received. And this is because he is determined by his work and customers. He wants to benefit the customers at any cost. His customers to him are the guests where they host them.

With every passing day, Jeff wants his customers to rely upon and trust Amazon even more. For that, he keeps on bettering Amazon with every idea he gets. It is apparent for us to assume that for Amazon, the customers are everything. They provide the best facility of dispatch, shipment, and delivery, which makes it the most appreciated store.

Unique Style of Jeff Bezos 

There are several lessons which we have learned from his technique. Similarly, there are two unique styles if Jeff Bezos’ leadership which makes him rare and different from others.

Though you might have studied different leadership styles, he is distinct from others. Let’s have a brief look at that too.

1. Expectations from the workers or employees 

Employees, yes, Jeff depends and relies on them very much. It isn’t easy to be Jeff’s employee. People want to work for his company, but that’s not a piece of cake. The initial thing to be kept in mind is that he expects much from his workers.

Be it replying to emails, or shipments, receiving the orders, everything needs extreme effort when coming to be a part of Amazon.

2. The customer always comes first 

Same as we have mentioned in the lessons we have learned from him, this prioritization of customers is the ulterior motive of Amazon. This point comes under his unique styles because this man believes in giving more to his customers.

Amazon knows that customers don’t like delays or defects in the products. They even hate when their product gets out of stock. This was made sure to be dealt with anyhow. That’s how he prioritizes his customers.

Final Discussion

Finally, after reading this entire writing, you must’ve known what this style is.

This leadership style is about a leader Jeff Bezos who believed in taking risks, prioritizing customers, conveying a clear vision to his workers, and independence to them.

Through his work, we have also learned that we shouldn’t fear failure.

We should remain patient until we have reached what we aimed for. And always be in the company of those who are skilled enough to benefit you.

Every word and work of Jeff is beneficial to follow if you’re willing to start a career.

How inspiring did you find Jeff Bezos Leadership Style? Share your thoughts in the comments below.