“What did you learn at school today?” My dad used to ask me that almost every night at dinner. My responses varied from, “Nothing” to “Today, we dissected an earthworm, and I learned that it has like five sets of hearts!”
At the end of each day, lifelong learners should be able to answer, “What did you learn today?” with at least one concise concept. This blog will answer the question from the perspective of what I’ve learned how Amazon uses the 6-page memo to maximize the effectiveness of their meetings.
What if every major agenda item at your business meetings were thought through extensively and thoughtfully in advance, researched thoroughly, and summarized in an easy-to-understand six page memo?
That’s the status quo at an Amazon senior executive meeting . . . and it’s not a new fad or phase they’re going through. In fact, CEO Jeff Bezos sent this memo in 2004 to explain why he then wanted to replace the standard “PowerPoint presentations” with 4-page memos.
(from SoundLawsSuccess.com)
So, why is this 4-6 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.
I’m going to implement a tailored version of this 6-page memo concept for our key buying or process change decisions within our Learning team. What are you doing to improve the outputs of YOUR meetings? I’d love to read your ideas . . . and to learn from you.
Keep Learning!
For more information about the Amazon 6-page memo concept:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beauty-amazons-6-pager-brad-porter
https://conorneill.com/2012/11/30/amazon-staff-meetings-no-powerpoint/
