Jeff Bezos’ Secret to Innovation: Why ‘Messy Meetings’ Work
During the recent New York Times Dealbook summit, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos explained how he increased meeting efficiency. Bezos, who started reforming Amazon’s traditional meeting culture after becoming its leader, stressed the importance of ‘messy’ meetings with no strict framework. He provided insight into how preparations with six pages of memo groundwork are conducted, with interaction sessions that foster creativity and innovation.
Bezos highlights the rationale for the carefully planned yet free-flowing meeting schedule. “There are certain kinds of meetings, like weekly business reviews, that are more formal. For most other meetings where real creativity happens, we start with detailed memos read in a study hall session, which leads to lively discussions,” he stated. This helps ensure that all the participants are well-prepared but free to give their opinions on their ideas, which is important in developing proper solutions.
To minimize the impact of hierarchy on meeting discussions, Bezos introduced the agreed-upon practice of having the youngest employees speak first. This avoids situations where only senior management can speak and control the discussion and allows the company to practice the values of diversity and respect for everyone. Even in the meeting, Bezos gives his input last, reducing his input into the meeting’s discussions and resolutions.
“I’ve realized I’m a very easy person to influence. I change my mind a lot, but on rare occasions, my conviction is unshakeable,” Bezos commented. This admission shows his willingness to embrace change, especially regarding decision-making, and ensuring he fully understands diverse viewpoints.
Though advocating for unstructured discussions, Bezos understands the importance of proper meeting organization. However, he realized that in some meetings, such as product launches or formal business reviews, a pre-structured approach to the meeting flow is necessary to increase efficiency and clarity. This balanced approach has been found to meet the innovative requirements of the creative teams and the operational requirements of the business management.
Additionally, Bezos values the human aspect, and meetings are seen as a way of interacting with people at work. He considers discussing difficulties or accomplishments with the team beneficial because this can improve trust between coworkers. His leadership is based on optimism and perseverance, which he believed were critical success factors for spearheading a company. “You need to be able to lift people during tough times,” Bezos remarked.
