AWS Leadership Principles

At Amazon Web Services (AWS), our Leadership Principles are more than just inspirational wall hangings. They are the foundational culture guide that drives every decision, from hiring to product development. These 16 principles help AWS maintain its high standards of innovation and customer service. Used daily, they describe how Amazonians think and act, distinguishing the company from traditional corporate environments.

Customer Obsession

Leaders start with the customer and work backward. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers. This principle is the bedrock of AWS. Instead of waiting for customers to tell them what they want, AWS strives to anticipate needs before the customer even recognizes them. This forward-thinking approach ensures that services remain relevant and valuable.

Ownership

Leaders are owners. They think long term and dont sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say "thats not my job." At AWS, this means taking responsibility for outcomes, whether good or bad. It implies a sense of duty to fix problems when one sees them, regardless of whose specific responsibility it might be on an organizational chart.

Invent and Simplify

Leaders expect and require innovation and invention 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." As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time. AWS is built on inventioncreating services like S3 and EC2 that didn't exist before. The drive to simplify ensures that complex technology is accessible to developers of all skill levels.

Are Right, A Lot

Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs. This principle doesn't mean leaders are always right, but rather that they have a high success rate in their decisions. It emphasizes the importance of intuition built on experience and the willingness to challenge one's own assumptions to arrive at the best conclusion.

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. The technology landscape changes rapidly, and AWS leaders must adapt. This principle fosters a growth mindset, encouraging employees to dive deep into new domains, ask questions, and constantly expand their knowledge base to serve customers better.

Hire and Develop the Best

Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. AWS looks for people who can raise the average level of performance of the team. It is not just about filling a seat; it is about finding individuals who bring unique strengths and can grow into future leaders.

Insist on the Highest Standards

Leaders have relentlessly high standards many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. AWS ensures that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed. intolerance for mediocrity ensures that customers receive reliable, scalable, and secure services.

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. AWS did not become a cloud leader by thinking small. This principle encourages employees to envision the impossible and tackle challenges that others might deem too difficult or risky, leading to groundbreaking services.

Bias for Action

Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking. In the fast-paced world of technology, paralysis by analysis can be fatal. This principle empowers AWS employees to act swiftly, understanding that 70% certainty is often enough to move forward, rather than waiting for 100% of the information which may never come.

Frugality

Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size or fixed expense. Frugality at AWS is not about being cheap; it is about being efficient and focusing resources on what matters most to the customer. This mindset allows AWS to pass cost savings on to customers in the form of lower prices.

Earn Trust

Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their own body odor smells like perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best. Trust is the currency of business. AWS builds trust by being transparent, admitting mistakes, and consistently delivering on promises, ensuring that stakeholders rely on their integrity.

Dive Deep

Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them. At AWS, leaders cannot rely solely on summary reports. They must understand the underlying data and mechanisms to make informed decisions. This hands-on approach ensures that surface-level issues do not hide deeper systemic problems.

Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly. This principle encourages healthy debate and diverse viewpoints. It ensures that all perspectives are heard to find the best path forward. Once a decision is made, however, the team unites to execute it regardless of initial dissent.

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. Ultimately, principles must lead to action. AWS focuses on overcoming barriers and delivering tangible outcomes for customers. Success is measured by the actual impact and value delivered to the market.

Strive to be Earths 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, have fun at work, and make it easy for others to have fun. AWS leaders ask themselves: Are my fellow employees growing? Are they empowered? Are they ready for what's next? This principle underscores the belief that a company must care for its employees to succeed.

Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility

We must be humble and thoughtful about even the secondary effects of our actions. Leaders create more than they consume and always leave things better than how they found them. As AWS has grown, its impact on the world has increased. This principle mandates that the company considers the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its operations, acting as a responsible global citizen.

These leadership principles serve as the compass for AWS. Whether interacting with a customer support agent or receiving architectural guidance from a solutions architect, you are seeing these principles in action. They are the DNA of the organization, ensuring that as the company scales, its culture of innovation and customer focus remains intact.

Reference Files For AWS Leadership Principles

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