As the founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has played a large role in the growth of not only one of the largest companies in the nation, but in e-commerce itself. But is this success by chance, or a direct result of a 20-year stint of great leadership?
The person who plays the role of CEO, or any other general manager, is an important possible strength for an organization. Bezos is known to be a happy-go-lucky risk-taker with an attention to detail and a tendency to micromanage. He also isn't afraid to experiment, even when margins are low; his portfolio of investments ranges from airspace travel to Airbnb. It seems to work for him; Bezos has been recognized as one of America's best leaders, even to the level of the second-best CEO in the world (behind Steve Jobs). And with Jobs's recent passing, Bezos could be well on the way to being the role model for all other general managers in the nation. Bezos was also named as a Fortune Businessperson of the Year. These awards don't come lightly; no matter how much Bezos experiments, keeping the Amazon experience excellent for the customer remains at the forefront. There's a certain respect for a leader who lives out the company's mission in every decision.
The person who plays the role of CEO can also be a weakness. This makes it difficult to prescribe exactly what makes strong leader; what works for some may not work for others. For example, being hands-off can be touted by some as the key to success, while others can tout being hands-on the reason for greatness. In Bezos's case, the exact qualities that make him a strength to Amazon make him a weakness, in some eyes. He was named World's Worst Boss for alleged workplace conditions (long hurs on feet, harassment, high turnover).
Ultimately, Amazon wouldn't be here without Bezos, and Amazon wouldn't still be here and running strong without Bezos. Whatever the nay-sayers state as fact can't ignore that record. "His moves are driven by clear thinking and a cohesive vision, even if it takes a while for rivals to figure out Amazon’s motives — at which point it may be too late."
Jeff Bezos is an important source of comeptitive advantage for Amazon. There - I set the record straight.
Sources:
- Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage by Jay B. Barney [textbook]
- Jeff Bezos by Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bezos]hgiju]
- Jeffrey P. Bezos by Julia Ramey [https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984]
- Amazon's Jeff Bezos: The Ultimate Disrupter by Adam Lashinsky [http://fortune.com/2012/11/16/amazons-jeff-bezos-the-ultimate-disrupter/]
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