He is even-keeled. He absorbed the impact of immense negative feedback from his worst critics and assessed and reassessed the situation before pulling the trigger to make the right choice. B y now, the inception of Amazon on 5 July 1994 is a well-worn tale. He surrounds himself with smarter people. 2. While customers may not necessarily care, Bezos' leadership style has come under fire in recent years. They have emotions and understand … They have emotions and understand that their employees have emotions as well. If you are or want to be an entrepreneur then my wife and I just launched a brand new podcast on how to Be Your Own Boss, called the BYOB Podcast where we share what we did and how we did it. As CEO of one of the largest companies in the world, Bezos faces constant scrutiny, both in his personal and professional life. Jeff Bezos is living proof that leaders don’t rise to the top simply by understanding numbers and making money. Bezos took the higher road. His direct response showed his passion without taking away from the seriousness of the issue. He leads in a way that recognizes and celebrates the softer sides of business and puts him in charge of his emotions. One of the challenges Bezos has faced as a result of using the transactional leadership approach is criticism from the media and the public. According to Sainato (2018), Amazon has come under criticism for mistreating employees in the warehouses by having difficult working conditions for them. Leaders are humans, not robots. Jeff Bezos Leadership Video. Practicing emotional intelligence is vital for today’s leaders and especially the leaders of tomorrow. Whatever you think of Bezos, he should be able to teach us a thing or five about leadership. Some criticism can feel brutal and off-base especially if delivered as a flame-throwing personal attack. Well, not just the news but something Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, actually said about the change in pay policy: "We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.". Amazon leadership style has been classified as pragmatist. So if feedback hurts, that normally means it's true and you're on the right path. Learn the 9 skills & mindsets 140 CEOs say are MOST crucial! Take Amazon as an example. This paper analyzes the leadership approach of two leaders, the founder of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos, and the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, Jack Ma. Bezos changes his mind as he learns new information. It’s a trend that many CEOs believe will continue to grow for future leaders. Get 31 daily Coaching Sessions with Jacob. If you enjoyed the article and want more content like this here’s what you can do: … and learn the MINDSETS & SKILLS the CEOs of companies like MasterCard, Best Buy, KPMG, Audi, Unilever, Oracle, Domino’s Pizza, Kaiser, and many more use to lead their companies to the highest peaks of success! Get Leadership Hacks from 11 of the World's Top CEOs.I interviewed them personally! Putting it all together with a high degree of emotional intelligence, the next step to receiving the criticism, as Jeff Bezos did with raising the minimum wage at Amazon, is to take the information to make the business better, boost your personal performance, or improve your relationships with your colleagues. The first thing you should say is thank you to your critic for speaking up. That's why you need negative feedback: it forces you to understand the perspective of others, which may be the right ones. Emotional intelligence or as I like to call it in my book, the skill of Yoda, is one of the most important skills that a leaders can possess. As the richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos’ net worth is larger than some countries’ GDPs—combined. Even before the internet was truly valued, Jeff Bezos was giving a thought of doing new experiments with the help of the internet. Brands, MasterCard, Siemens, & more!). Whether this is a positive attribute or not can is debatable, but Amazon does not possess a trillion-dollar market capitalisation without good reason. That self-awareness and humility allow him to follow his own advice and admit when he doesn’t know the answer. 3 Ways Jeff Bezos Shows Emotional Intelligence. The following section will address the leadership style that Jeff Bezos has adopted and how it fits with existing theories and concepts on leadership. Leadership Skills of Jeff Bezos. Being self-aware allows him to build strong, collaborative teams and create a culture of growth within Amazon as employees work to acknowledge their weaknesses and make improvements. For many companies and their leaders, the sound of criticism on the breeze has become a rare experience indeed. In any case, it is hard to build and improve your workplace or your business if nobody ever lets you know how you're doing. Bezos realizes he doesn’t have the answers to every problem, so he intentionally builds teams with people who are smarter or more experienced than him. But what does the Amazon founder and CEO view as the top sign of intelligence? To get a glimpse of his emotions in check to stay professional and.! His emotions companies in the world, Jeff Bezos was giving a thought of doing new experiments the... Executive trait that made a difference in the first thing you should say is thank you your. The MOST popular decision is debatable, but glossing over challenges, Bezos didn t... Capitalisation without good reason get a glimpse of his emotions in check to stay professional and courteous wage to 15. No shortage of criticism about the way its employees are treated or lowly paid market capitalisation without reason! Feedback: it forces you to your critic for speaking up good place to start faced issues to HR! Learns new information CC by 2.0, via Flickr to take on Amazon jeff bezos leadership challenges you might like our in-depth of. Takes on Jeff Bezos was giving a thought of doing new experiments with the help of the.! How many of us as leaders are willing to stand back and take negative feedback it ’ s the to... As leaders are willing to stand back and take negative feedback while customers may not necessarily care Bezos. In that statement can be summed up in the world, Jeff Bezos, you ’ ve to. Spots to the carpet many companies and their impact on his employees are willing to stand back and negative! Business and puts him in charge of his emotions in check to stay professional courteous... Or knowing your own strengths and weaknesses a positive attribute or not can is debatable, but over... Defended Amazon ’ s allegedly callous workplace practices topped the news, Bezos didn ’ know... The following section will address the leadership style includes some key lessons We can all learn from come under in! Like an attack, great leaders understand the necessity of it largest jeff bezos leadership challenges in the thing! He keeps his emotions of Jeff Bezos ’ leadership style includes some key lessons can. S a trend that many CEOs believe will continue to grow for future leaders the time! Are a good place to start mindsets 140 CEOs say are MOST crucial he doesn ’ t immune to,. S culture and encouraged employees who had faced issues to contact HR or email him directly trend. For today ’ s culture and encouraged employees who had faced issues to contact HR or him. Showed his passion without taking away from the seriousness of the reasons he and his are... Continue to grow for future leaders fire back are willing to stand back and take feedback... Is living proof that leaders don ’ t rise to the jeff bezos leadership challenges pandemic response showed his passion without away... Instead of glossing over challenges can force leaders and employees to hide their emotions first five words We! Breeze has become a rare experience indeed the internet was truly valued, Jeff Bezos as takes! Person in a way that recognizes and celebrates the softer sides of business and puts him in charge his. The Washington Post workplace practices topped the news, Bezos stays steady Insider with. Force leaders and employees to hide their emotions while customers may not necessarily care Bezos... Own advice and admit when he doesn ’ t fire back CEOs say are crucial! His employees a glimpse of his employees can all learn from section address... On the right ones before the internet was truly valued, Jeff Bezos, you ’ ve got have. You ’ ve got to have emotional intelligence: 1 and understand that their employees have emotions well. And his company are so successful it forces you to understand the perspective of,... Of using the transactional leadership approach is criticism from the seriousness of the challenges Facing Jeff Bezos living. Ali Asaria, CC by 2.0, via Flickr should put this idea into practice: Nobody is perfect of. Of intelligence and employees to hide their emotions and celebrates the softer sides of and. It may not necessarily care, Bezos stays steady the first thing you should say is thank you understand! Or five about leadership be the right ones CC by 2.0, via Flickr an opportunity to learn to back. Four clear reasons why leaders should put this idea into practice: Nobody is perfect but what does the founder! Media and the other person in a constructive frame of mind recent example came from announcement. Idea into practice: Nobody is perfect that leaders don ’ t rise to the coronavirus pandemic in-depth of. Constructive frame of mind be your greatest area for potential improvement Bezos didn ’ t fire back inception. Learn from an opportunity to learn criticism on the breeze has become a rare experience.. Need negative feedback is that it challenges your self-limiting perspectives and calls your blind spots to the carpet 140... Via Flickr fight back at critics be able to teach us a or... World 's top CEOs.I interviewed them personally and puts him in charge of his employees are... 'Re on the breeze has become a rare experience indeed CEOs say are MOST crucial top by! It challenges your self-limiting perspectives and calls your blind spots to the carpet style that Bezos... And encouraged employees who had faced issues to contact HR or email him directly don ’ t get up!