Mastering business communication: Lessons from Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon

In the world of business, effective communication is the key to success. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, developed unique writing and presentation guidelines that became the foundation of efficient communication within his company. This short article explores these principles and demonstrates how they can be applied to learning English in a business context.

Jeff Bezos and Amazon

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. Today, Amazon is one of the world's largest companies, with a market capitalisation of approximately $2.4 trillion, offering a wide range of products and services—from e-commerce to cloud computing. Amazon’s success is, at least in part, due to the innovative management and communication strategies introduced by Bezos.

Communication at Amazon

Amazon’s communication approach is built on several key principles that set it apart from traditional corporate methods.

Bezos banned PowerPoint presentations in meetings, arguing that slide decks are ineffective. Instead, employees are required to write 4-6 page memos (narrative reports), which are read silently at the beginning of meetings, allowing participants to take notes and engage in more thoughtful and substantive discussions.

These documents typically include an introduction, objectives, assumptions, current business status, conclusions, and strategic priorities.

Bezos also dislikes bullet points, even though they remain widely used in most businesses.

Another notable rule at Amazon is the "Two-Pizza Team" principle: meetings should be small enough that two pizzas could feed all attendees. Smaller teams are believed to facilitate more effective communication and collaboration.

Write and speak like Jeff Bezos

Learning the communication style used by Jeff Bezos at Amazon can be highly beneficial, especially for those studying Business English. Here are a few ways to develop these skills:

• Practice Narrative Writing - Start writing short essays or reports on business topics. Focus on clarity and logical structure, avoiding bullet points in favor of full sentences and well-organised paragraphs.

• Use Conversations to Improve Presentation Skills - Through our online conversation sessions, you can practice presentations, discussions, and real-world business situations, helping you gain confidence and develop the ability to clearly present your work. Regular conversations with advanced English speakers will enhance your ability to use concise and structured communication.

• Analyse Real Examples - Review and analyse Amazon’s six-page reports or Jeff Bezos’ shareholder letters. Pay attention to sentence structures, language use, and argumentation style.

Summary

Jeff Bezos' communication style is an effective method for conveying information and managing teams. By adopting this approach, you can improve your language skills and become a more effective leader or business professional.

Looking for a trusted partner to help you refine your communication skills in English? At Wereszko & Sons, we combine expert knowledge of English language teaching with real-world business experience in the UK. Contact us to learn more about our advisory services and English conversation training.