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Amazon delivers the best customer service in the world. Everyone should benchmark themselves against Amazon if they want to become customer-centric. I would encourage you to read these 14 Amazon Leadership Principles and learn from the best.
Colin Baker, writing on Leaders.com, expanded on the 14 principles. Here are the first seven, with his comments. Links to the full article and a downloadable PDF version of the 14 principles are below.
1. Have a customer obsession. Amazon’s 14 principles begin with having a customer obsession. The company pledges to put customers first at all times, earning their trust in the process. Their obsession with generating customer trust represents one of Amazon’s top core values that they try to demonstrate every day.
Key takeaways: Customers and work go hand in hand because buyers are the lifeblood of any company. If a business doesn’t focus on them, they’re far more likely to flounder. Always put customers’ needs and expectations front and center, and hold yourself to the high standards that will make customers want to come back over and over. You can see this with Jeff Bezos’s marketing flywheel, dubbed the “virtuous cycle,” which emphasizes that customers need to have a great experience with the entire company. This leads to the company gaining traction, leading to more buyers and more satisfied customers.
2. Take ownership. Amazon leaders have a bias for action when it comes to taking ownership of what they and their team do. Beyond that, they also feel a broad responsibility for the business, making them consider what’s best for the company at all times. They don’t take shortcuts and instead emphasize the long-term values of their actions.
Key takeaways: Leaders need to think of themselves as owners of what they do. Every action they take, both big and small, reflects on the company in some way. Act as a representative and avoid taking the easy road. If you think of yourself as a key part of the company, you’ll always give it your best shot and accept the consequences. Part of being an owner includes serving others. The servant leadership style places others’ needs above your own, bypassing your self-interest for the good of others. By doing so, you help everyone achieve the most they can, which benefits them, you, and the company as a whole.
3. Invent and simplify. Amazon prides itself on innovation, so the company expects its leaders to get creative when finding solutions. Leaders should think up new ideas and try new methods to see what gets high-quality results. By doing things differently, Amazon’s leadership tries to forge a new path that flies in the face of conventionality.
Key takeaways: It’s easy to get stuck in the same patterns and methods that have proven effective in the past. Leaders should use an innovative approach to find better techniques and strategies. This requires experimentation and an acceptance that sometimes it won’t work out the way you want. Don’t fear going in a bold direction as the new way of thinking could become the new normal.
4. Have good judgment. Amazon expects its leaders to have good instincts. The company places significant trust in its leadership, which means they should show good judgment when making decisions. They also want their leaders to come from diverse backgrounds and bring new points of view to the table.
Key takeaways: Leaders need to practice effective decision-making for their teams. That takes a complete knowledge of their industry and familiarity with the people on their teams. They should also show confidence in what they do and be welcoming of new ideas from team members.
5. Learn and be curious. Amazon wants leaders who show curiosity and a desire for self-improvement. They don’t settle for current strategies and have the urge to learn as much as they can. They love new ideas and get excited at the prospect of exploring new topics.
Key takeaways: Leaders must have an inquisitive mind to stay on top of a rapidly changing business world. Their curiosity should drive them to become better and more informed. People who don’t seek to learn will quickly find themselves falling behind. Make time during the day to learn something new by reading news articles or listening to podcasts.
6. Hire and develop the best. Amazon also stresses the need to create teams filled with high performers who rise to the occasion. The company believes that leaders should work to develop new leaders at all levels of the organization. Leaders must hire only the most talented people who can help the company reach new heights.
Key takeaways: Through interview questions and the entire hiring process, look for individuals who bring significant value to your organization. Once they’re on board, help them develop their talents and leadership qualities. Development should be an ongoing process to help people reach their full potential. An organization consisting of leaders and high performers will become highly successful.
7. Insist on the highest standards. According to Amazon’s 14 principles, the company expects its leaders to establish a high standard of conduct and performance. They want leaders to be the driving factor in getting the best out of their teams. That means having standards that might even be seen as too high. That high bar is what teams should meet and surpass.
Key takeaways: Expectations matter in business. A leader who expects little of their team members will get little in return. Set a high standard that will force people to stretch. Get people out of their comfort zone to develop quality products. It’s just as important to hold yourself to that same standard so you set the example for others. If you want only the best from your team, you’ll need to set a new bar they’ll need to work at to reach.
For the remaining 7 principles and comments from Colin Baker, click here.
Download a printable PDF copy of Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles here.
John Tschohl is the founder and president of the Service Quality Institute with operations in more than 40 countries. He is considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on all aspects of customer service and has developed 17 customer service training programs that are used by companies throughout the world. His monthly strategic newsletter is available online at no charge at customer-service.com. He can also be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.