The Amazon Leadership Principle “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit” is vital for leading and executing Big Bets. In high-stakes initiatives, leaders must navigate complex decisions and competing viewpoints, where the pressure to compromise for the sake of social cohesion can be high. However, leaders of Big Bets understand that challenging decisions and standing firm in their convictions are necessary to ensure clarity of purpose and direction—two essential habits in Big Bet Leadership. Leaders who embody this principle foster an environment where the best ideas can rise to the top, even if the discussions are uncomfortable or exhausting.
In the context of Big Bets, having backbone means that leaders push for the best possible outcomes, not just the easiest ones. This principle empowers leaders to speak up when they see a flaw or a risk, and to respectfully challenge decisions until the right path forward is determined. At the same time, once a decision has been made, leaders must fully commit to its execution, aligning their teams with a clear sense of direction and purpose. This balance between respectfully disagreeing and then fully committing is crucial to maintaining the velocity needed for successful Big Bets.
Leaders who practice “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit” also ensure that risks are properly evaluated, avoiding the temptation to settle for safe or incremental solutions. In *Big Bet Leadership*, we emphasize that bold, transformative initiatives require leaders to act with conviction and tenacity. Without this backbone, Big Bets risk being watered down by indecision or diluted through compromise, leading to mediocre results. By disagreeing and then committing fully, leaders enable their teams to move forward with clarity and confidence, ready to execute on a high-impact vision.
Amazon Leadership Principle — Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
Jeff Bezos likes to describe the Amazon culture as friendly and intense but adds, “If push comes to shove, we’ll settle for intense.” If you’re a member of his S-Team, he expects you to challenge him. He demands a robust conversation.
This is not common in corporate America. In most organizations, senior executives are too terrified to practice dissent in the C-suite. I can’t tell you how many CEOs have complained that “no one ever challenges me.” Equally as damaging is that “collaboration” has morphed into a workplace norm where “getting along” is more important than knowing your details, being right, or making sharp and timely decisions. In 2020, I was quoted in the BBC special “Inside the Brain of Jeff Bezos.”
This notion of having healthy debate then making a decision and committing to it is key. That’s the opposite of what happens in most organizations. Most organizations don’t actively debate; they hold back what their real position is, they don’t lead with customer obsession and data, they don’t respect the decision-maker, and when a decision is made, they are typically passively-aggressive if they didn’t agree to the decision. They don’t wholeheartedly buy into making the decision successful.[1]
By contrast, Amazon can be a gladiator culture. No one leaves the coliseum unbloodied, but if you fight hard, you may obtain glory and, at the worst, live to fight another day. But if you refuse to do battle for the emperor altogether, you’re guaranteed to be carried out on your shield.
At Amazon, I learned that disagreeing with Jeff and the other senior executives was not only beneficial to me personally (as an “owner”) but also my obligation to the customer, to the shareholders, and the company. “If I drive us over a cliff,” Jeff would say, “you’re as much at fault as I am.”
During my years at Amazon, I probably won or witnessed as many gladiatorial combats won with Jeff as lost. More important, my willingness to engage him helped encourage others to do the same. People who watched us interact took heart and began to have the same kinds of robust conversation with him and with others, cautiously at first, more naturally later. That’s how you create a healthy top-to-bottom culture—by demonstrating the principles, not just posting them on a wall.
The Importance of Mental Toughness
The backbone necessary to disagree with some of the smartest business minds in the world and commit to your own vision requires an immense amount of mental toughness. Psychotherapist Amy Morin compiled a list of traits that characterize mentally strong people. When I read it, I immediately thought of Amazon’s gladiator culture. If you want to succeed in Jeff’s relentless and fiercely competitive world, you cannot:
- Feel sorry for yourself
- Give away your power
- Shy away from change
- Waste energy on things you cannot control
- Worry about pleasing others
- Fear taking calculated risks
- Dwell on the past
- Make the same mistakes over and over
- Resent others’ success
- Give up after failure
- Feel the world owes you anything
- Expect immediate results2
In a similar vein, psychologist and author Angela Duckworth has done some remarkable research on the importance of what she calls “grit.” She argues that success is only partially defined by talent—one’s ability to naturally play the piano, hit a curveball, or catch a twenty-foot wave. The real test of someone’s ability to rise to the top rests more in perseverance—the tenacity they display when confronted by obstacles or conflict.1 While Duckworth’s research focused on the success rates of West Point graduates and spelling bee contestants, I believe her theories would be proven true at Amazon as well. The most successful are those who can excel in the pressure cooker, week in and week out, shaking off the occasional failure and the subsequent tongue-lashing, put their heads down, and keep on driving.
Time is Now to Debate
The Amazon Leadership Principle “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit” is critical for navigating the complexities of Big Bets. By fostering a culture where leaders respectfully challenge decisions and then commit fully once a direction is set, organizations can drive clarity and alignment. This principle ensures that tough decisions are made with conviction and that teams move forward with confidence, ultimately increasing the chances of Big Bet success. Leaders who embrace this mindset are better equipped to lead transformative initiatives that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
John Rossman is a writer, strategy advisor, and keynote speaker. Have him inspire and teach your team.
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