How Amazon Institutionalized Better-Thinking to Dominate the World of Business
Introduction
I define “self-discipline” as the ability to make oneself do what needs to be done, even when you don’t want to. I don’t have as much self-discipline as I would like. But I do have the ability to obsess about subjects that are good for our business, and this qualifies as a close second.
My current obsession is Amazon.com’s “Narrative” (sometimes called a “6-Pager”) and their “Silent Start” for meetings. As I often do, once I have been obsessing over something for a while in an ad hoc way, I decided to use our Proving the Obvious Using Google method. That is, I asked Google a question, and read all 10 of the articles that came back on page one of the results. What I learned about the “Narrative + Silent Start” is that in the early 2000’s Amazon’s Jeff Bezos banned the use of PowerPoint in management meetings, requiring instead that thoughtful narrative memos be composed for all of the attendees to read in silence at the beginning of the meeting. His logic was that PowerPoint was easy for the presenter but hard for the audience, and that composition of a thoughtful narrative required a discipline of thought that leads to better-thinking and better communication of that thinking than a presentation ever could.
I agree with Jeff Bezos that best-thinking typically comes from writing. What I’ve read about Amazon’s Narrative writing discipline resonates deeply with me. It’s clear they admire awesome work when they see it. They strive to make each of their Narratives a work that is admired by their peers. It’s clear that it’s part of Amazon’s culture to hold in high esteem a well-drafted Narrative because everyone knows the “blood, sweat, & tears” hard-work it takes to bring one into the world.
When I have done my best work as an expert witness, I have gone over and over and over and over my report and conclusions, refining, improving, and ultimately perfecting the work through an excruciating process that is at least 95% elbow-grease, and at most 5% “experience,” native gift, or divine inspiration.
Our company does three key things:
Building inspection and testing of many types;
Construction management, specifically estimating and building maintenance and rehabilitation management for owners;
Building claims and litigation consulting, including expert testimony, related to everything imaginable that could make someone sad about real estate.
Every year we work on hundreds of totally unique projects, and every single one of them deserves the mature application of our company’s core values that include always acting with integrity, always using our systems to “solve the problem,” and always delivering our definition of “Awesome Work,” which includes:
Always communicating in plain English that everyone can understand;
Turning data into information so we, and our clients, can use it to make smart, informed decisions; and
Prescribing SMART (specific, measurable, assertive, realistic and timed) recommendations or opinions that;
Will move our client from where they are to the best available alternative as quickly and inexpensively as possible, while maintaining our professional integrity.
The General Principle for All PFCS Work #1 is that “Our work is often difficult. If it does not cause a little mental strain from time to time, then you're doing it wrong.”
Amazon has reached market dominance and made its founder the richest person in the world (at the time of this writing). Surely that was difficult. It required harnessing the hard work and mental strain of thousands of really smart people. It required Amazon to create a system and culture that encouraged, admired, and rewarded best-thinking. I am convinced this practice of “Narrative + Silent Start” meetings is a key to that success.
Silent Start
Effective meeting management might be the most studied and written about subject in all of business. It has been, and continues to be, an obsession of mine as well.
“Imagine for a moment that you could go into a meeting and everyone in the meeting would have very deep context on the topic you're going to discuss. They would be well-versed in the critical data for your business. Imagine if everyone understood the core tenets you operate by and internalized how you're applying them to your decisions. How great would it be not to be constantly interrupted by clarifying questions? How great would it be not to have the decisions in the meeting based on the social networking advocacy that happened before the meeting? How great would it be if executives deeply understood your organization from your perspective before asserting they know better how to do it? How great would it be to be able to review the core data going into a decision rather than have someone summarize it and assert that correlation is causality without revealing their work? This is what meetings are like at Amazon and it is magical.”
- From The Beauty of Amazon’s 6-Pager
“In senior executive Amazon meetings, before any conversation or discussion begins, everyone sits for 30 minutes in total silence, carefully reading six-page printed memos. Reading together in the meeting guarantees everyone’s undivided attention to the issues at hand, but the real magic happens before the meeting ever starts. It happens when the author is writing the memo.”
- From Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Peculiar Management Tool for Business Discipline
Amazon’s Narrative
“So reflect and write it down, verbs and all. You’ll be better prepared and excited to present, share, collide, collaborate, and lead at work!”
- from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Peculiar Management Tool for Self-Discipline
“Andy Grove, legendary CEO of Intel, takes Bezos’s view on writing up a notch. Grove considers written reports vital because ‘the author is forced to be more precise than he might be verbally.’ In fact, he considers the whole exercise of writing ‘more of a medium of self-discipline than a way to communicate information,’ so much so that his ultimate conviction was that ‘writing the report is important; reading it often is not.’”
“Bezos and Grove’s imposition of writing as a medium turns self-discipline and personal reflection into a distributed process. Reflection is a fundamental way to think through and give yourself feedback on your work, where feedback can be otherwise rather scarce in the workplace but integral to improving the quality of your thought and action. Encouraging reports to engage in the reflective process of writing helps each and every individual autonomously work toward becoming a master of their craft.”
- From Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Peculiar Management Tool for Business Discipline
So, why is this 6 page memo concept effective in improving meeting outputs?
It forces deep thinking. The 6-page data-rich narratives that are handed out are not easy to write. Most people spend weeks preparing them in order to be clear. Needless to say, this forces incredible, deep thinking. The document is intended to stand on its own. Amazon’s leaders believe the quality of a leader’s writing is synonymous with the quality of their thinking.
It respects time. Each meeting starts with silent reading time. When I asked why they don’t send out the narratives in advance, the response was, “we know people don’t have the time to read the document in advance.”
It levels the playing field. Think of the introverts on your team who rarely speak during a meeting. Introverted leaders at Amazon “speak” through these well-prepared memos. They get a chance to be heard, even though they may not be the best presenter in the organization.
It leads to good decisions. Because rigorous thinking and writing is required–all Amazon job candidates at a certain level are required to submit writing samples, and junior managers are offered writing style classes–team members are forced to take an idea and think about it completely.
It prevents the popularity bias. The logic of a well-thought-out plan speaks louder than the executive who knows how to “work the halls” and get an idea sold through influence rather than solid, rigorous thinking and clear decision making.
- from The 6-Page Memo: What I Learned from Amazon
“It’s unconventional, tough and incredibly time-consuming. But Bezos’s management trick does one thing incredibly well—by forcing his team to use the medium of the written word, the author of the memo really has to think through what he or she wants to present.”
- From Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Peculiar Management Tool for Business Discipline
“Full sentences are harder to write, [Bezos] says. They have verbs. The paragraphs have topic sentences. There is no way to write a six-page, narratively structured memo and not have clear thinking.”
- From Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Peculiar Management Tool for Business Discipline
Developing Ideas Through Writing
It’s Jeff Bezos’s experience and mine that best-thinking comes from writing out one’s thoughts in a long-form narrative, then arguing with oneself over and over, perfecting the work through the application of hard work. As discussed above, Andy Grove, the great CEO of Intel, wrote about the same thing.
(THIS IS SUPER KEY FOR OUR COMPANY) The idea in all of the ideas above is that an individual or small group is made responsible to think through a subject as completely and thoughtfully as possible, before the larger team is presented with material. This is the best possible time-management discipline in an organization; that is, not wasting the time of a group until the ideas have been considered deeply and completely by the appropriate person or small team.
The structure of the Amazon Narrative is nothing unique, and appears to be similar to a “Business Case” format that is taught in business school MBA programs:
The Context, question, or problem being solved.
Methodology or approaches to answer the question.
Impact or how is this approach to answering the question different.
Now what? Next actions.
In my reading, the Amazon folks think it’s important to connect to the core values of the company in addressing their solution. This resonates with me because our core values, including Act with Integrity, Solve the Problem, and Do Awesome Work, help us make decisions on every one of the hundreds of projects we work on each year.
“Communicating in Writing”
In 2005, I composed a training document called “Communicating in Writing;” Around 2014, I reread it for the first time in years. By this time I was just emerging from some of the classic trials and tribulations of midlife (divorce, teenagers, blah blah blah) and after reading it my initial thought was “Wow, this is really good; I don’t know if I’m still this smart.”
But that reflection helped me to realize that I was never all that smart. It had always been through writing, and re-writing, and re-writing, that I did, and that virtually anyone can, end up with best-thinking that looks a lot like genius. What I knew in 2005 about the tremendous power of elbow grease, had by 2014 been obscured by the fog of having a busy life. I’m happy and proud to say that I’ve re-learned to carve out big chunks of time and exercise this discipline that leads to best-thinking.
Let me acknowledge now that in composing “Communicating in Writing” I borrowed liberally from a book called How To Write by Meyer & Meyer. You can get it on Amazon for $5. It’s an awesome read. Here is my quick book summary:
Writing is critical.
Writing is a process.
The writing process is always the same three steps: 1. organize, 2. draft, 3. polish.
Don’t try to do step 2 until you have completed step 1.
Some of the steps in writing involve not writing.
Figuring out the theme, in a few short sentences, is a critical step and might require some time.
Writing takes tenacity.
We are entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts.
Be clear and concise and cut unnecessary stuff.
Use an established layout.
Read the work out loud to check for grammar.
If there is time, always review the work one more time.
Communicating your intended meaning to the reader is the most important thing.
Here are some of the best teachings from “Communicating in Writing” that are at least as applicable today as in 2005:
Writing can be learned: We are “knowledge workers,” so bad writing is “bad workmanship.” A professional who cannot communicate well in writing is like a carpenter who cannot cut straight. On the other hand, you can make up for many shortcomings by consistently working through the process of writing until your written documents are excellent. If you deliver excellent written work consistently, you will be regarded highly in your field.
Writing Is work: Naturally, if you are writing a one-page document, the steps to completion will go quickly. But remember, they are always the same steps. If you like working toward the creation of excellence and elegance, then you will like the writing process (eventually). If you don’t, then you won’t. Writing well in business is not a matter of artistry; it is a matter of skill. Skills are earned through practice, and can be finely honed with deliberate practice. I don’t know of any other way to master a skill.
The first time you compose an excellent piece of writing it will take you 5 to 10 times longer than “normal.” The second time it will take you 2 to 5 times longer. The third time it will take twice as long. Some time between the fourth and 50th time you compose an excellent piece of writing it will take you the “normal” amount of time. This is how life works. If you don’t like the idea that practice makes perfect, take a number. We are all frustrated by it, but once you are past the learning phase, your capacity as a professional will have been elevated into another league.
Communication of Complex Information
Remember that any complex or voluminous set of information (including the American Civil War) can be presented in various forms and lengths:
The Civil War can be described (summarized) in one paragraph. For example (113 words): The U.S. was founded in 1776 and was divided socially and economically in the years prior to Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 presidential victory, particularly by the issue of slavery that was practiced in the agricultural Southern states but not in the industrialized Northern states.
Early in 1861 the South separated from the Union, set up a government, Lincoln was inaugurated as President, and hostilities broke out, as the North was determined to hold the Union together at any cost. By the end of 1865 the South had surrendered and slavery was abolished by the 13th amendment to the US Constitution. The combined death toll was greater than 500,000 and over 400,000 troops were wounded.
The Civil War can also be communicated via:
An article;
A 2-hour movie (there are many);
A book (there are many);
A series of books (there are many);
A life-long pursuit (there are many scholars).
When communicating complicated subject matter, remember: If you can’t summarize your point in a paragraph or two, then you have not worked hard enough on it. When a subject large enough to fill a lifetime of study (like the Civil War) can be summarized into one paragraph, anything can. I don’t mean to suggest that a tremendous amount of detail can be transmitted in a paragraph; but the mind of a layperson needs constant orientation. By summarizing your material for orientation, then diving into the supporting details as necessary, you will more effectively communicate.
Forest vs. Trees / Big Picture vs. Details
The trees are only important in the discussion when we understand what forest we are in. Don’t talk about trees until you have told the reader what forest you are in; this is a terrible practice that causes a lot of problems.
Both the big picture and the details are important. We each need to recognize which we grasp and communicate better. Some people are naturally oriented to big-picture concepts and some more naturally dig into details. Whichever you are, you will need to address the one you are weak at. If you do, your written communications are much more likely to be universally accepted as excellent work. Remember this, and remember where your strengths are so you can address your weakness.
Don’t Get Lost in the Details: Getting lost in the details is a horrible sin. It wastes your time, and worse, it wastes the time of the reader.
Overcome Fears: Many of us are afraid to do things badly. I admit it; I don’t like it when I am not good at something. Excellent writing ability, as we have said, is a skill that comes with practice. Good writers do a lot of writing. Using this step-by-step process will help. Do not try to short-cut the process by writing in one pass. Writing that will make you stand out as a top-notch professional will take time and energy, but you will succeed. Let your steps be small ones and celebrate when you get to each of the milestones. If you are working on a computer, consider printing drafts at key milestones and savoring the victory of completing these steps.
Make Lots of Passes: As you will see in the step-by-step list of activities below, excellent writing requires work. This work must be made in passes. Run through the entirety of the work from A to Z many times. This is in contrast to the philosophy of spending the time in trying to make something perfect on the first pass. It is my hard-won experience that trying to make it right on the first pass gets you “lost in the forest”, because you are concentrating on “trees” rather than the big picture. Passing across the work from A to Z as rapidly as possible ensures that you always have perspective on the entire body of the work.
Choose Your Format: Most business-related writing should rely on a standard format. Our company has a “corporate look and feel” for all document types, including reports, proposals, letters, and email messages, to which we adhere. All written documents can be formatted according to some standard; I recommend you establish a standard and stick with it. Make sure you use headings, subheadings, numbered lists, bullet-point lists, bold letters, and other identifiers to aid the reader in breaking up a longer work into bite-sized chunks.
Write the First Pass On “Why We Are Here”: This is like the Objective or Vision Statement in project planning. It might be one sentence or it might take a paragraph. Remember, if you would like the audience to take some action, be sure it is clear what your recommendations are.
Brainstorm Your Points: What are the key points you want to make? This is not the time to make detailed supporting documentation of each point, so don’t let yourself get lost in the forest of details here.
Outline the Complete Work from Beginning to End (A to Z): Before writing any further, now figure out the complete contents of your document. Keep in mind the introduction that you just wrote, as well as the “Why Are We Here” section.
Re-Organize the Outlined Information: This is a key activity. Beyond this point, structural changes get complicated. You might want to print the document and take a red pen to it. You might want to review it with someone to make sure the information flows as you would like; you may be surprised at what comes out of your mouth when trying to tell the story from the first pass of your outline.
The Process
Prepare
Choose Your Format
Write the First Pass on “Why We Are Here”
Brainstorm Your Points
Research and Compile Information
Draft
Write the Introduction
Outline the Complete Work from Beginning to End (A to Z)
Re-Organize the Outlined Information
Write the First Draft
Work
Write Or Refine The Executive Summary and Introduction
Identify Recommendations or Action Items, If Necessary
Read the First Draft Completely Through and Update (Create Draft #2)
Read Draft #2 and Update (Create Draft #3)
Have Someone Else Read Draft #3 and Ask You Questions
Repeat the Reading and Updating As Necessary
Deliver: Media? Who Gets It? How Do You Confirm and Document Delivery?
Great Writing Provides A Competitive Advantage
Amazon’s “6-pager” exemplifies the value that great, well-thought-out writing provides to businesses. For Jeff Bezos and Amazon, it’s crucial for running efficient, effective meetings. Our business, also, is a complex mix of functions, as mentioned above. And like most of our work, writing is often difficult. Excellent business writing, whether for internal or external use, markedly improves our effectiveness in communicating key ideas and building the “best-thinking” muscle. My current working hypothesis is that if we can create a process, practice, and culture where best-thinking happens on every project, then we will become the most esteemed professional construction services provider in the world, invited to work on the most important buildings and rehabilitation projects wherever we work.
More Resources
A 2/7/2021 podcast with an interview of former Amazon executives, who have written a book to explain the power of how Amazon uses “narrative” writing to dominate.
NEW AS OF 12/8/2021: Since the time this was written, two former Amazon senior executives published Working Backwards. It tells the story of how the 6-pages and the Silent Start are integrated with other key management practices or "building blocks" including Leadership Principles; Hiring; Separable, Single-Threaded Leadership; Working Backwards; and Metrics & the Weekly Business Review.