Overview
Amazon's Leadership Principles are not motivational posters — they are the actual framework used in every hiring decision, performance review, and product discussion at Amazon. Understanding them is essential if you are preparing for an Amazon interview, and genuinely useful for any professional who wants to think more clearly about their work.
Each principle below includes the core idea, what it looks like in practice, and an example of how you might demonstrate it in a behavioural interview using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Who this is for
All 16 principles
Customer Obsession
Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.
Ownership
Leaders act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say "that's not my job." They think long term and don't sacrifice long-term value for short-term results.
Invent and Simplify
Leaders expect and require innovation from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by "not invented here."
Are Right, A Lot
Leaders have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs. Being right means being willing to change your mind when the data changes.
Learn and Be Curious
Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them. Curiosity is the foundation of innovation.
Hire and Develop the Best
Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognise exceptional talent and move them throughout the organisation. They coach and mentor but are not afraid to hold the bar high.
Insist on the Highest Standards
Leaders have relentlessly high standards. They continually raise the bar and drive their teams to deliver high-quality products, services, and processes. Defects are not passed down the line.
Think Big
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
Bias for Action
Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. Leaders value calculated risk-taking and move fast when the cost of delay exceeds the cost of being wrong.
Frugality
Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.
Earn Trust
Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when it is awkward, and do not believe their own or their team's body odour smells of perfume.
Dive Deep
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, and audit frequently. No task is beneath them. When the data and anecdotes differ, they are sceptical and investigate.
Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even if doing so is uncomfortable. Once a decision is made, they commit wholly and do not undermine it.
Deliver Results
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.
Strive to Be Earth's Best Employer
Leaders work every day to create a safer, more productive, higher-performing, more diverse, and more just work environment. They lead with empathy and have fun at work.
Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility
Amazon started in a garage and is now a large company. Leaders acknowledge that their actions have an outsized impact on the world and commit to being better every day.