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From Start-Up to Grown-Up

#81: Colin Bryar, Co-Author of "Working Backwards;" former Chief of Staff to Jeff Bezos — How Amazon built its processes, the birth of the 6-page memo, and how to instill psychological safety in a competitive culture

Dec 3, 2024
Colin Bryar, a former top executive at Amazon and co-author of 'Working Backwards,' shares invaluable insights from his time shadowing Jeff Bezos. He discusses how Amazon's unique six-page memo process transforms communication and decision-making. Colin highlights the importance of customer obsession and long-term thinking in the company's culture, offering gems about how resilience and mental well-being factor into leadership. He also details the intricate hiring processes that uphold Amazon's high standards, providing practical advice for startups looking to adopt similar frameworks.
01:22:24

Episode guests

Colin Bryar

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The podcast emphasizes the importance of reflective decision-making, highlighting that slowing down leads to better long-term outcomes and scalable products.
  • Colin Bryar explains how being 'Amazonian' revolves around four principles: customer obsession, long-term thinking, invention, and operational excellence.

Deep dives

Importance of Thoughtful Decision-Making

The podcast addresses the significance of taking time to understand decisions rather than rushing into conclusions. Effective decision-making often requires slowing down the process to ensure all aspects are considered, as fast decisions may lead to wrong paths. It highlights the distinction between speed and velocity, emphasizing that quick outcomes may not equate to better results in the long term. This reflective approach ultimately leads to the creation of scalable products that provide actual value for customers.

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