'Jeff, do you want me to...': What happened when former VP stood up to Amazon founder

A former Amazon executive, Ethan Evans, has shared an interesting insight into Jeff Bezos' approach to handling debates during company meetings. Bezos, the founder of Amazon and the second-richest person in the world, is known for fostering a work culture where employees are encouraged to defend their ideas, even if it leads to lengthy and intense discussions.

Ethan Evans, who served as Vice President of Prime Gaming before retiring in 2020, worked under Bezos for more than 15 years. In a recent post on X, Evans recalled how Bezos emphasized the importance of not compromising simply for the sake of maintaining social harmony. Instead, Bezos encouraged rigorous debates to ensure all ideas were thoroughly explored.

“At Amazon, Jeff Bezos told us to 'not compromise for the sake of social cohesion.' I saw him tolerate lengthy, exhausting arguments as a result,” Evans shared. He recounted a recurring debate between Bezos and his VP over an economic model called the Prime Attribution Model (PAM). PAM was critical as it determined how fees paid by Amazon Prime members were distributed across the company’s business units.

Evans explained that his team at Prime Gaming didn’t receive any allocation from PAM, leading to disagreements about how the model was structured. The debates were so persistent that, on one occasion, the company’s CFO intervened, asking Bezos if he wanted to end the argument. However, Bezos declined, preferring a drawn-out discussion to shutting anyone down prematurely.

While the PAM model ultimately remained unchanged, Evans expressed admiration for Bezos’ willingness to engage in repeated debates. He appreciated how Bezos allowed every argument to be presented and considered, even when the conclusion didn’t align with all parties' views.

“This years-long debate never changed anything, but Jeff’s openness ensured fully informed decisions were made,” Evans concluded. This anecdote highlights Bezos’ leadership philosophy, which prioritizes innovation and transparency over convenience, fostering a culture where ideas can thrive regardless of hierarchy.

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