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Why Jeff Bezos Only Hires Excellent Writers
[THREAD]
Let’s go
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[THREAD]
Let’s go
Jeff Bezos banned PowerPoint at Amazon’s meetings in favor of narrative documents. He realizes the power of good writing and made it part of company culture.
Let’s look at why he did this and how strong writing
Leads to clear thinking
Which leads to excellent results.
Let’s look at why he did this and how strong writing
Leads to clear thinking Which leads to excellent results.
1. Why Bezos Banned PowerPoint
“Many, many years ago, we outlawed PowerPoint presentations at Amazon. And it’s probably the smartest thing we ever did.” - Jeff Bezos
Take a moment and think back to the most boring meeting you ever had to sit through.
Trying to keep your eyes open, to not look at your phone, to look like you’re paying attention.
Trying to keep your eyes open, to not look at your phone, to look like you’re paying attention.
I bet there was a PowerPoint presentation at that meeting.
Presentations in meetings are cruel.
You spend days crafting slides with bullet points and graphics.
You present to an impatient audience and struggle to summarize mountains of data on the spot.
Presentations in meetings are cruel.
You spend days crafting slides with bullet points and graphics.
You present to an impatient audience and struggle to summarize mountains of data on the spot.
Someone inevitably interrupts with questions that will be answered later in the presentation.
It sucks for everyone.
It sucks for everyone.
2. The Amazon Way
Bezos believes in writing. He knows its power to captivate.
He knows that good writing leads to good ideas.
He knows that good writing leads to good debate.
He knows that good writing leads to better performance.
He knows that good writing leads to better thinking.
He knows that good writing leads to good ideas.
He knows that good writing leads to good debate.
He knows that good writing leads to better performance.
He knows that good writing leads to better thinking.
At Amazon, meetings start with every participant quietly reading a narrative memo for the first half hour or so.
″[The memo is] supposed to create the context for what will then be a good discussion” Bezos says.
″[The memo is] supposed to create the context for what will then be a good discussion” Bezos says.
During the silent reading period everyone gathers their thoughts and takes notes, then discusses the memo.
3. What does “Narrative” mean?
Authors have to write in full sentences, not bullet points.
Think back to high school writing classes- you need:
Paragraphs
Topic sentences
Supporting sentences
Subjects, objects, nouns, and verbs
Authors have to write in full sentences, not bullet points.
Think back to high school writing classes- you need:
Paragraphs Topic sentences Supporting sentences Subjects, objects, nouns, and verbs
There’s no hiding behind a lazily written bullet point list at Amazon.
Writing this way means you have to develop your ideas. More importantly, you have to own them.
As Bezos says, “[It] is harder for the author, but it forces the author to clarify their own thinking.”
Writing this way means you have to develop your ideas. More importantly, you have to own them.
As Bezos says, “[It] is harder for the author, but it forces the author to clarify their own thinking.”
4. Memo Structure
An executive memo will cover these four areas:
The point or the objective being discussed
How teams have attempted to handle this issue in the past
How the presenter's attempt differs
Why Amazon should care (i.e., what's in it for the company?)
An executive memo will cover these four areas:
The point or the objective being discussedHow teams have attempted to handle this issue in the pastHow the presenter's attempt differsWhy Amazon should care (i.e., what's in it for the company?)
Aligning the team on the ideas before starting discussion has benefits.
Egos stay out of the way.
Everyone understands the implications.
Egos stay out of the way.
Everyone understands the implications.
5. How Would Better Writing Help You?
By now you see how writing is central to Amazon’s culture of excellence.
Clear writing is the foundation for clear thinking.
By now you see how writing is central to Amazon’s culture of excellence.
Clear writing is the foundation for clear thinking.
What would improve in your life if you could make others understand you better?
Find out by getting my 10 Writing Tips Here
Buy Ultimate Writing Machine on @Gumroad https://gum.co/GmbMp
Find out by getting my 10 Writing Tips Here
Buy Ultimate Writing Machine on @Gumroad https://gum.co/GmbMp
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