Much is being written about Amazon’s “bruising workplace,” but less about Amazon’s Corporate Culture that appears to foster a lack of trust. As “The New York Times” reported, “The internal Amazon phone directory instructs colleagues on how to send secret feedback to one another’s bosses.” It is not surprising former employees did not think it wrong to send company information to reporters. “The company, founded and still run by Jeff Bezos, rejects many of the popular management bromides that other corporations at least pay lip service to.” Thankfully the era of being politically correct appears to be loosening its stranglehold on America. And, it should not be surprising that people who are shooting for groundbreaking success will share an obsessive work ethic. There is nothing wrong with “tearing each other’s ideas apart in meetings”. Conflict does bring innovation. But after the meetings, you go out together, and never rat on each other, because even the most successful, someday, will need the people they work with to have their back. Think Bezos is so smart that he set up the secret phone option just to get rid of the rats?
August 19, 2015