Article: Leading the Amazon Way: 16 Principles that set the standard for everyone, not just its employees

Amazon has been making headlines for resetting its performance review standards—placing renewed emphasis on its 16 core Leadership Principles, originally set by founder and Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos.

These principles aren’t just theoretical, but are truly lived and led by Amazon’s top brass, including the S-Team (Senior Leadership Team), which comprises 29 senior leaders such as current President & CEO Andy Jassy and AWS CEO Matt Garman.

What’s more, these leadership values extend beyond day-to-day operations. Amazon’s board of directors, featuring global icons like former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, AI visionary Andrew Ng, and Medley co-founder Edith Cooper, also embody and reflect these same guiding principles.

Amazon's 16 core Leadership Principles

By officially embedding its 16 core Leadership Principles into the performance appraisal system, Amazon has set a clear standard for its 1.56 million global employees: embrace these values, or risk being out of sync with the company’s culture.

This shift isn’t about denying growth or opportunity. Rather, it emphasizes that alignment with these principles is essential for those who want to thrive and grow within Amazon’s unique culture. But this change came with a strict disclaimer: only 5% of the total workforce—those who truly embody the 16 Leadership Principles—will be eligible for promotions and salary increments.

What are these 16 core Leadership Principles that sit at the heart of Amazon, and now influence who grows, leads, and stays?

#1 Customer Obsession

The customer is king, and always comes first. While many high-performance organizations practice this value, Amazon has made it a deeply rooted part of its culture. As CEO Jassy emphasizes, “Everything starts with the customer and works backwards. That mindset has shaped how we build, how we operate, and how we lead..And everyone here isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected, that we keep asking, ‘How can we be better for customers today?’ That’s customer obsession. And it’s how we’ve always done things at Amazon.”

#2 Ownership

This particular Leadership Principle drives accountability, pushing Amazon employees to take ownership of both failures and wins. It is demonstrated by employees who see their work as more than just a paycheck, those who go above and beyond to do what’s right for the company and its stakeholders.

CEO Jassy explained this with an anecdote, “I was chatting recently with a young professional, not at Amazon, and I asked them what ideas they had to grow revenue at their store. Their response? ‘Well, that’s not really my area. I don’t get a bonus for that.’ And I thought, that’s the difference. Ownership means caring even when it’s not in your job description... we believe, if you see something off-track, don’t assume someone else will handle it. Own it. Make sure it gets resolved, even if you’re not the designated person.

Ownership is about stepping up, pulling people together when needed, and driving toward solutions—not just for your team, but for the whole company.”

#3 Invent and Simplify

This leadership principle wants employees to challenge the status quo, simplify complex systems, and have the courage to lead with an unconventional mindset.

‘What I’m proud of at Amazon is that we’ve kept inventing—over nearly three decades. Sometimes it’s been a full-on invention, like what we did with AWS, or the Kindle, or Alexa. Other times, it’s been about reinventing the way we already do business, rethinking the customer experience from the ground up, shared CEO Jassy.

Sharing a real-life example from Marketplace, the setbacks faced, and the relentless drive to push boundaries, he added, “We have to keep inventing..simplifying..be willing to be misunderstood. That’s what leads to the breakthroughs that truly matter, for customers and for the future of the business,”

#4 Are Right, A Lot

This principle emphasizes that leadership isn’t about always being right, but about humility, open-mindedness, and the courage to make the right call, even when it means challenging your own thinking.

CEO Jassy reminds, “A lot of people misunderstood this principle, some think “my idea has to win” or “I need to be the smartest person in the room.” But that’s not what being right a lot is about.

It’s not about your idea winning, it’s about finding the right idea, wherever it comes from.

What great leaders do is really listen. They get the right people in the room, they encourage diverse perspectives, and they speak last. Not because they don’t have opinions, but because they’re open to changing their mind.”

#5 Learn and Be Curious

This leadership principle underlines that a forever-learner mindset wins every game, and it works for everyone, at every level.

CEO Jassy emphasised, “The people who keep rising, who build better teams, better businesses, and better versions of themselves, are the ones who stay deeply curious. They never think they’ve arrived. They never stop asking questions. And they’re not afraid of how much they don’t know...

the moment you think there’s little left for you to learn is the moment you start to stall—personally and professionally,”

#6 Hire and Develop the Best

Leaders are able to spot great skills, potential, and qualities in people—even before they’re hired. This leadership principle reinforces exactly that.

“Great outcomes come from great teams. And great teams are built with great people. Now, when we say “great,” we’re not just talking about raw talent..people who live the leadership principles, who are curious, inventive, right a lot, who take ownership, obsess over customers, dive deep, and think big. That’s the bar. And when we hire, we don’t just hire for roles, we hire for culture, for mindset, for long-term impact. And yes, sometimes there's pressure to fill a role fast,..but the answer should never be to lower the bar.” CEO Jassy remarked.

Adding, “The second half of this principle, developing the best, is just as critical.

Being a manager isn’t a default next step. It’s a privilege. And with that privilege comes the responsibility to coach people thoughtfully. That means recognizing their strengths, and also helping them see where they need to grow”

#7 Insist on the Highest Standards

The leadership principles states that leaders set high standards, and never compromise on it.

“High standards don’t just happen. They have to be set, modeled, and protected. One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader, or even as an individual contributor, is to consistently show what “great” looks like.

Because when people see you expect more, they start expecting more from themselves and others. That ripple effect matters,..in the long run, customers will always move toward the companies that refuse to settle. The ones that keep raising what’s possible,” explains CEO Jassy.

#8 Think Big

As simple as it sounds, leaders don’t settle for less—they think in terms of big mountains, not just rocks.

You can’t run the same playbook forever. Even if something worked yesterday, that doesn’t mean it’ll work tomorrow. Technology shifts fast. Customer expectations change.

So if we want to build a company that lasts 100 years, and outlives all of us, we need to think boldly and act with urgency. And thinking big requires courage. It means taking risks. It means not being afraid to question what’s “normal.” But that’s exactly where the biggest breakthroughs come from,” explains CEO Jassy.

#9 Bias for Action

This leadership principle calls for faster decision-making, even if it means taking smart, calculated risks. CEO Jassy underlines, “One of the best ways to think is: one-way doors and two-way doors. Most decisions we make are two-way doors..that don’t need to be over-studied. They can and should be made quickly, and often by the team closest to the work.

And, some decisions are one-way doors…needing more time, care, and leadership alignment. But they are rare. The trap is treating every decision like a one-way door. That’s what slows companies down..Speed doesn’t mean recklessness. It means being smart, being agile, and having a sense of urgency. If something can be done in hours or days, it shouldn’t take weeks.”

#10 Frugality

This principle simply states to be creative, efficient, and inventive, big budgets and teams are not necessary. “Frugality isn't just about spending less. It’s a mindset—a way of building, operating, and thinking that’s wired into our culture.” shared CEO Jassy.

Adding, “And let me be clear—frugality doesn’t mean cutting corners or doing less. It means doing more with less. It forces creativity. It pushes teams to be resourceful..when you save, you can invest more in better things,”

#11 Earn Trust

One of the ethical principles that emphasises leaders to be humble, communicate openly and respectfully with their teams. CEO Jassy clarifies, “People sometimes think earning trust means being agreeable in meetings, going easy on each other, or just being nice..but earning trust is about being real..benchmark us against the best, and tell the truth. Being authentic, being accountable, and being better the next time.”

#12 Dive Deep

This principle asks leaders to be detail oriented, questioning when stories and numbers don’t match. “One of the most powerful things about leadership at Amazon is that we don’t ask people to choose between being strategic or detail-oriented — we expect both,” underlined CEO Jassy.

“No task beneath a leader. Rolling up your sleeves, reviewing code, digging into ops, joining a customer call — it’s all fair game,” he added.

#13 Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

In making right decisions, leaders have to speak up their disagreements, even if it’s uncomfortable or tiring.

CEO Jassy emphasises, “doesn’t matter what level you are — you’re expected to challenge decisions if you believe we’re heading in the wrong direction for customers or the business. Not just encouraged, expected. And when you do disagree, it’s not about being disagreeable. It’s about being respectful, being data-driven, and being focused on the truth..And once the decision is made — even if it’s not the one you advocated for — you commit fully. No half-hearted execution, no “told you so.” That’s failure.”

#14 Deliver Results

This principle requires leaders to focus on what truly matters. “You can be obsessed with customers, you can think big, move fast, dive deep, hire the best — but if you can’t deliver, none of that matters..Now, people often confuse delivery with just hitting big numbers like revenue or stock price..real work? the product you’re building, the features you’re designing, the customer problems you’re solving.”

#15 Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer

This leadership principle is the core to Amazon’s culture, as it requires leaders to build a safer, more inclusive, more productive, and engaged workplace. CEO Jassy shares, “To me, being Earth’s Best Employer starts with purpose. When you work at a company where the mission is to make customers’ lives better every single day, not just say it, but live it…People you work with matter just as much.from safety in our fulfillment centers, to developing better managers, to building more diverse and inclusive teams, we know there’s still work to do.”

#16 Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

This principle requires leaders to be humble and thoughtful of communities, the planet, and future generations, when making decisions. “this principle is about being great neighbors and responsible citizens. Whether it's a fulfillment center in a rural town or a corporate office in a big city, we have to ask ourselves: Is this community better because we’re here? If the answer is no, we act.” notes CEO Jassy.

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