Jeff Bezos Reveals Why Amazon Did Away With Powerpoint Presentations For A 'Silent Start' Meeting Strategy

Co-founder Jeff Bezos says Amazon AMZN uses a unique strategy for conducting meetings. This unconventional approach starts with a silent reading session aimed at enhancing critical thinking and effective decision-making.

What Happened: In a recent discussion with computer scientist Lex Fridman, Bezos revealed that meetings at Amazon kick off with 30 minutes of silent reading, Inc. Magazine reported. This “silent start” method has been a cornerstone of Amazon’s meeting culture since 2004. Bezos introduced it to replace PowerPoint presentations with “well-crafted, narrative text” during executive meetings.

Bezos posits that this approach facilitates better preparation and thinking as it gives attendees the chance to comprehend, take notes, and reflect on the content before discussing it. He indicated that the conventional method often results in attendees skimming through the content or attending meetings unprepared.

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Bezos also expressed his view of PowerPoint as a tool for persuasion, in contrast to his aim of promoting critical thinking and truth-seeking. According to him, the silent start facilitates this objective while also leading to more informed and elevated discussions.

Bezos also criticized PowerPoint for being “easy for the author and hard for the audience,” whereas a comprehensive memo, which requires time and effort to prepare, is the opposite. This process saves time as it ensures everyone starts from the point of understanding, reducing interruptions and repetitive questions.

Why It Matters: Jeff Bezos’ unique meeting approach aligns with his history of promoting high standards in corporate culture and strategic innovation, as highlighted in his 2017 letter to shareholders. Bezos emphasized that the high expectations of customers form a ladder of standards that organizations must ascend.

As one of the wealthiest figures in the world, Bezos has shared insights on conducting meetings for increased productivity, which may have contributed to his and Amazon’s success. His focus on avoiding ‘yes men’ and eliciting genuine opinions from employees was evident in his February 2023 interaction.

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