CUSTOMER OBSESSION 


Definition and Indicators Customer Obsession:

Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep
customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you…
• Know your customer’s needs and wants?
• Anticipate your customer’s needs?
• Honestly pursue customer feedback, not just solicit for compliments?
• “WOW” your customers?
• Know what would be better than what your customer is even imagining?
• Ask, “Is what I’m working on helping my customer?”
• Remove non-value steps?
• Listen for what your customer wants, before/instead of telling them what they need?

1 Give me an example of a time you used customer

feedback to drive improvement or innovation. What
was the situation and what action did you take?
2 Give me an example of your most difficult
customer interaction and how you worked through
it. What was the outcome?
3 Tell me about a time a customer wanted one thing,
but you felt they needed something else. How did
you approach the situation, what were your actions
and what was the end result?
4 Tell me about a time when you went above and
beyond the call of duty for a customer. Why did
you take the action you did? What was the
outcome?
5 Most of us at one time or another have felt
frustrated or impatient when dealing with
customers. Can you tell us about a time when you
felt this way and how you dealt with it? When do
you think it’s appropriate to push back or say no to
an unreasonable customer request?
6 Can you give me an example of when you’ve been
able to see around the corner to meet a customer
need or delight a customer with a solution or
product they didn’t yet know they needed/wanted?
7 To try to meet the high expectations of our
customers, we sometimes promise more than we
can deliver. Tell me about a time when you
 overcommitted yourself or your company. How did
you resolve the issue?
8 Tell me about a time when you had to balance the
needs of the customer vs. the needs of the business.
How did you manage this situation?

DELIVER RESULTS 

Definition and Indicators Deliver Results
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a
timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you… ?
• Continually reinforce to yourself and the team who the customer is in order to execute
and deliver the right results?
• Set and communicate smart team goals, expectations and priorities
• help employees stay focused, yet nimble and adaptable to moving targets or when
projects aren’t progressing in order to get things done?
• Help others remove barriers/roadblocks towards meeting team goals?
• Recognize and celebrate successes, while keeping the team focused on delivering the
right results?
• Focus on the most important tasks, while adapting as needed to achieve results? ·
• Persevere through setbacks and overcome obstacles to deliver outstanding results?
1 Tell me about a time you (and your team if
Manager) were driving toward a goal and were
more than half way to the objective when you
realized it may not be the best or right goal or may
have unintended consequences. What was the
situation and what did you do?

[testing for achieving the right result versus

driving goal for sake of goal achievement. May
want follow up questions regarding to determine if
the person was willing to take hit on goal
attainment to achieve the right result and test long
term versus short term thinking.
2 Tell me about a goal that you set that took a long
time to achieve or that you are still working
towards. How do you keep focused on the goal
given the other priorities you have?
3 Tell me about a time where you not only met a
goal but considerably exceeded expectations. How
were you able to do it? What challenges did you
have to overcome?
4 Give me an example of a time when you were
able to deliver an important project under a tight
deadline. What sacrifices did you have to make to
meet the deadline? How did they impact the final
deliverables?
5 Tell me about a time you had significant,
unanticipated obstacles to overcome in achieving
a key goal. Were you eventually successful?

DIVE DEEP 

Definition and Indicators Dive Deep
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details and audit frequently. No task is
beneath them.

What this looks like in Practice

As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you…
• Not pass the buck on unwanted tasks, demonstrate hustle and a ‘do what it takes’ attitude
to get things done, even if that means being hands-on?
• Stay closely connected to the details of projects/business, knowing when to get involved
without micromanaging?
• Frequently “audit” by drilling down into projects/business, questioning and providing
feedback, quickly assessing progress and risk, and hold employees accountable for
results?
• Drill down on fuzzy information, refusing to accept generalizations or light-weight
responses?
• Have a firm grasp of the details of your work in order to deeply discuss it?
• Frequently “audit” your work by checking accuracy, facts and assumptions?

1 Tell me about a time you were trying to understand

a problem on your team and you had to go down
several layers to figure it out. Who did you talk
 with and what information proved most valuable?
How did you use that information to help solve the
problem?
2 Tell me about a problem you had to solve that
required in-depth thought and analysis? How did
you know you were focusing on the right things?
3 Tell me about a time when you linked two or more
problems together and identified an underlying
issue? Were you able to find a solution?
4 Walk me through a big problem or issue in your
organization that you helped to solve. How did you
become aware of it? What information did you
gather, what information was missing and how did
you fill the gaps? Did you do a post mortem
analysis and if you did what did you learn?
5 Can you tell me about a specific metric you have
used to identify a need for a change in your
department? Did you create the metric or was it
already available? How did this and other
information influence the change?
6 Give me a situation in which it took you asking
why five times to get to the root cause.
7 As a manager, how do you stay connected to the
details while focusing on the strategic, bigger
picture issues?
8 Tell me about a time when you were too far
removed from a project one of your employees was
working on and you ended up missing a goal
(Manager)
9 When your direct reports are presenting a plan or
issue to you, how do you know if the underlying
assumptions are the correct ones? What actions do
you take to validate assumptions or data?
(Manager)

INSIST ON THE HIGHEST STANDARDS


Definition and Indicators
 Insist on the Highest Standards: Leaders have relentlessly high standards - many people may
think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive
their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. Leaders ensure that defects
do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you…
• Raise the quality bar by demanding that your team delivers high quality products,
services and solutions?
• Teach and coach employees about setting their own high standards and exceeding
customer expectations?
• Provide feedback to employees when work is of high quality and coach to continually
improve work?
• Ensure the quality bar remains high by delivering high quality work, and demanding it of
others’ work?
• Continually self-critique your work to make sure the quality is the best it can be? ·
• Accept and seek out coaching and feedback from your manager and others about
improving the quality of your work?

1 Tell me about a time when you have been unsatisfied

with the status quo. What did you do to change it?
Were you successful?
2 Tell me about a time you wouldn’t compromise on
achieving a great outcome when others felt
something was good enough. What was the situation?
What measures have you personally put in place to
ensure performance improvement targets and
standards are achieved?
3 Describe the most significant, continuous
improvement project that you have led. What was the
catalyst to this change and how did you go about it?
4 Give me an example of a goal you’ve had where you
wish you had done better. What was the goal and
how could you have improved on it?
5 Tell me about a time when you have worked to
improve the quality of a product / service / solution
that was already getting good customer feedback?
Why did you think it needed continued
improvement?
6 Give an example where you refused to compromise
your standards around quality/customer service, etc.
Why did you feel so strongly about the situation?
What were the consequences? The result?
INVENT AND SIMPLIFY

Definition and Indicators
Invent and Simplify: Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and
always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere,
and are not limited by “not invented here”. As we do new things, we accept that we may be
misunderstood for long periods of time.

What this looks like in Practice

As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you…
• Simplify and always encourage others to innovate and change inefficient or unnecessarily
complex processes?
• Use new ideas and methods to do your job better and enhance the customer experience? ·
Create an environment that encourages breakthrough thinking that is simple?
• Encourage innovation and invention for the right reasons, helping others not to
unnecessarily reinvent the wheel?
• Think up and implement great ideas and simple solutions?
• Know when not to reinvent the wheel?

1 Tell me about the most innovative thing you’ve done

and why you thought it was innovative (can also
probe with: That sounds more evolutionary than
revolutionary – tell me about something you’ve done
you feel was truly revolutionary? Ask for one or two
additional examples to see if it’s a one off or pattern.)
2 People often say the simplest solution is the best. Tell
me about a particular complex problem you solved
with a simple solution.
3 Tell me about a time you were able to make
something significantly simpler for customers. What
drove you to implement this change?
4 Describe a challenging problem or situation in which
the usual approach was not going to work. Why were
you unable to take the usual approach? What
alternative approach did you take? Was it successful?
5 Give an example of a creative idea you had that
proved really difficult to implement. What was the
 idea and what made it difficult to implement? Was it
successful?
6 Tell me about an out-of-the-box idea you had or
decision you made that had a big impact on your
business.
7 Give me an example of how you have changed the
direction or view of a specific function/department
and helped them embrace a new way of thinking?
Why was a change needed?

OWNERSHIP
Definition and Indicators Ownership:
Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term
results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say
“that’s not my job”.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you…
• Create a vision for your team that aligns with the customer experience?
• Foster an environment of autonomy where an employee prioritize and make decisions?
• Think about the impact of your decisions on other teams, sites and the customer over
time?
• Coach and mentor your team to understand the big picture, how their role supports the
overall objectives of Amazon, and how it ties to others?
• Ask questions?
• Consider future outcomes (scalable, long-term value, etc.)?
• Give feedback – coach and develop others (peers, associates, manager)?
• Speak up in meetings – question, challenge respectfully?
• Understand your role and relationship with other roles?
• Understand the impact of your work on others?
• Partner with peers across the network?

1 Tell me about a time when you took on something

significant outside your area of responsibility. Why
was it important? What was the outcome?
2 Give me an example of a time when you didn’t
think you were going to meet the commitments you
promised. How did you identify the risk and
 communicate it to stakeholders? What was the
outcome
3 Tell me about a time you made a hard decision to
sacrifice short term gain for a longer term goal.
4 Give an example of when you saw a peer struggling
and decided to step in and help. What was the
situation and what actions did you take? What was
the outcome?
5 What steps do you take to ensure projects you
complete get transitioned effectively to new
owners? Give an example where you elected to re-
engage on a project that you had already
transitioned to someone else. What was the
situation and why did you feel it was important to
re-engage?
6 How do you ensure your team stays connected to
the company vision and the bigger picture? Give an
example of when you felt a team or individual goal
was in conflict with the company vision. What did
you do? (Manager)
7 Tell me about an initiative you undertook because
you saw that it could benefit the whole company or
your customers, but wasn’t within any group’s
individual responsibility so nothing was being
done. (Manager)

ARE RIGHT, A LOT 


Definition and Indicators Are Right, A Lot:
Leaders are right a lot. They have strong business judgment and good instincts
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you… ·
• Use sound business judgment to make the right decisions quickly and achieve results,
even in the absence of complete data?
• Question whether decisions are being made in the Company’s and customer’s best
interest and change course when they are not?
• Actively seek out the best solutions, recognizing that great ideas often come from others?
• Recognize that your idea may not be as good as someone else’s and get on board with the
best idea?
1 Tell me about a decision for which data and
analysis weren’t sufficient to provide the right
course and you had to rely on your judgment and
 instincts. Give me two to three examples. They
don’t have to be big strategic decisions – could be
big or small.
2 Tell me about a time you made a difficult decision
and how you knew it was the right solution (probe
on how they evaluated the options, if they received
input, what data they reviewed, etc.)
3 Give me an example of when you have to make an
important decision in the absence of good data
because there just wasn’t any. What was the
situation and how did you arrive at your decision?
Did the decision turn out to be the correct one?
Why or why not?
4 Tell me about a time when you made a bad decision
and the learning from the experience enabled you to
make a good decision later. What did you learn that
you were able to apply?
5 Tell me about a time when you have been faced
with a challenge where the best way forward or
strategy to adopt was not “clear cut” (i.e. there were
a number of possible solutions). How did you
decide the best way forward?
6 Tell me about an error in judgment you made in the
last year or two, what it was and the impact of it.

BIAS FOR ACTION 


Definition and Indicators Bias for Action:

Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive
study. We value calculated risk taking.

What this looks like in Practice

As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you… ·

• Makes sound, timely decisions and remove barriers for direct reports?
• Quickly identify how work should be done and communicated to team?
• Make timely, sound decisions for the business even when all info you want to have isn’t
available?
• Empower your employees or become a bottleneck?
• Remove barriers to help your team act on new ideas immediately?
 • Quickly identify if you need more info before taking action request that info and move
forward?
• Be ready, willing and able to roll up sleeves and assist with customer facing tasks when
needed?
• Ask for help when needed in a timely manner? · Respond promptly to requests for
information?
• Follow up and deliver as promised?
• Make sure you create an “action item list” (identify owner and target dates)?

1 Give me an example of a calculated risk that you

have taken where speed was critical. What was the
situation and how did you handle it? What steps did
you take to mitigate the risk? What was the
outcome?
2 Describe a situation where you made an important
business decision without consulting your manager.
What was the situation and how did it turn out?
3 Tell me about a time when you had to analyze facts
quickly, define key issues, and respond
immediately to a situation. What was the outcome?
4 . Tell me about a time when you have worked
against tight deadlines and didn’t have the time to
consider all options before making a decision. How
much time did you have? What approach did you
take?
5 Give an example of when you had to make an
important decision and had to decide between
moving forward or gathering more information.
What did you do? What information is necessary
for you to have before acting?
6 Tell me about a time where you felt your team was
not moving to action quickly enough. What did you
do? (Manager)
7 Tell me about a time when you were able to remove
a serious roadblock/barrier preventing your team
from making progress? How were you able to
remove the barrier? What was the outcome?
(Manager)
THINK BIG

Definition and Indicators Think Big:
Thinkings mall is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction
that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you… ·
• Take a radical approach and risks when necessary, always questioning traditional
assumptions in pursuit of the biggest and best idea?
• Create a gutsy mission that employees can be inspired by and get behind; provide
direction for how to get there and explain how everything fits into the long-term plan? ·
Continually communicate the big picture and mission to the team in a manner that gets
employees excited (as a result, employees want to get out of bed and come to work each
day)?
• Actively explore new ideas from team members, encouraging risk taking when
appropriate?
• Translate broader mission into big, hairy ideas and tactics in your own work? · Ask
questions to get a sense of direction and confirm how work fits into the short- and long-
term picture?
• Hungrily accept the challenge to create the best idea/solution and take risks?
1 Give me an example of a radical approach to a problem
you proposed. What was the problem and why did you
feel it required a completely different way of thinking
about it? Was your approach successful?
2 How do you drive adoption for your vision/ideas? How
do you know how well your idea or vision has been
adopted by other teams or partners? Give a specific
example highlighting one of your ideas.
3 Tell me about time you were working on an initiative or
goal and saw an opportunity to do something much
bigger than the initial focus.
4 Tell me about a time you looked at a key process that was
working well and questioned whether it was still the right
one? What assumptions were you questioning and why?
Did you end up making a change to the process?
5 Tell me about a time you took a big risk – what was the
risk, how did you decide to do it and what was the
outcome?
6 Now Tell me about a time you took a big risk and it
failed. What did you learn? What would you do
differently?
VOCALLY SELF CRITICAL

Definition and Indicators Vocally Self Critical:
Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. Leaders come forward
with problems or information, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders
benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.
What this looks like in Practice
As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do you… ·
• Admit mistakes, issues and areas for development; seek out and accept coaching and
feedback to improve?
• Set an example for your team by owning responsibility for problems and failures and
working to resolve them?
• Encourage team members to bring issues to your attention constructively?
• Escalate issues even when doing so might be unpopular?
1 Give me an example of an idea you had that was strongly
opposed. Why was there so much resistance? How did
you handle the negative feedback?
2 Give me an example of a significant professional failure.
What did you learn from this situation?
3 Tell me about a time where someone has openly
challenged you. How did you handle this feedback?
4 Tell me about a time you made a significant mistake.
What led you to making the wrong decision? What would
you have done differently in retrospect?
5 Give an example of a tough or critical piece of feedback
you received. What was it and what did you do about it?
6 Tell me about a time you received feedback with which
you didn’t agree. How did you react?
7 Tell me about time you had to learn something outside
your comfort zone in order to drive results for your
organization or to adapt to a change in the market,
organization or other catalyst.

EARN TRUST OF OTHERS 


Definition and Indicators Earn Trust of Others:
Leaders are sincerely open-minded, genuinely listen, and are willing to examine their strongest
convictions with humility.
What this looks like in Practice As a people manager do you…
As an individual contributor do you…
• Earn the trust and respect of the team and build positive working relationships by
consistently making good decisions, keeping commitments, treating others and their ideas
with respect, and adhering to high ethical standards?
• Provide an environment where team members have room to take smart risks and learn
from mistakes while not losing sight of their accountability for results?
• Listen, communicate and delegate to help employees get the right things done?
• Do what you say you will do or appropriately reset expectations?
• Honor commitments made to other teams even if your own goals are in jeopardy?

Describe a time when you significantly contributed to improving morale and productivity on
your team. What were the underlying problems and their causes? How did you prevent them
from negatively impacting the team in the future?
Give an example of a time where you were not able to meet a commitment to a team member.
What was the commitment and what prevented you from meeting it? What was the outcome and
what did you learn from it?
Building trust can be difficult to achieve at times. Tell me about how you have effectively built
trusting working relationships with others on your team.
Describe a time when you needed the cooperation of a peer or peers who were resistant to what
you were trying to do. What did you do? What was the outcome?
Tell me about a piece of direct feedback you recently gave to a colleague. How did he or she
respond?
How do you like to receive feedback from coworkers or managers?
Tell me about a time you had to communicate a big change in direction for which you
anticipated people would have a lot of concerns. How did you handle questions and/or
resistance? Were you able to get people comfortable with the change?

FRUGALITY 

Definition and Indicators Frugality:
We try not to spend money on things that don’t matter to customers. Frugality breeds
resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and invention. There are no extra points for headcount, budget
size or fixed expense.
What this looks like in Practice As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do
you… · Ask,
 “Does this spend make a positive impact for the customer? · Role model behaviors for team by
not exhibiting “hierarchical” behavior like taking a larger office, expensing lunches, being
extravagant?
· Being transparent with team about costs – creating a general awareness that things cost money?
· Understand the difference between frugal and cheap?
· Creatively spend money and share your resources?
· Seek out “no-cost” alternatives prior to spending?
Give me an example of how you have helped save costs or eliminate waste within your
operation.
Tell me about a time when you had to make tradeoffs between quality and cost. How did you
weigh the options? What was the result?
Tell me about a time you had to get something done with half or two thirds of the resources you
thought you’d need for the project or initiative.
Tell me about a time when you generated a creative solution to a problem or project without
requiring additional resources. What was the problem? What was the solution and how did you
come up with it?
Tell me about a time you didn’t have enough resources to do something you felt was important
but found a creative way to get it done anyway. What drove you to seek out creative solutions?
Give an example of a time you requested additional funding/budget to complete a project. Why
was it needed? Did you try to figure out another approach? Did you get the additional resources?
Why or why not?

HAVE BACKBONE; DISAGREE AND

COMMIT 

Definition and Indicators Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit: Leaders are obligated to
respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or
exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of
social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.

What this looks like in Practice As a people manager do you… As an individual contributor do
you… · Question rigorously, challenge assumptions and escalate issues up and across the “food
chain” when you’re not satisfied, even if unpopular? · Stand up for what you believe is in the
best interest of the company and our customers? · Openly demonstrate your support and
commitment to decisions that have been made, even though you may not have originally agreed?
Refrain from being transparent with these types of decisions in the best interests of your
employees? · Get on board with decisions that have been made, even though you may not have
originally agreed?

Tell me about a time that you strongly disagreed with your manager on something you deemed to
be very important to the business. What was it about and how did you handle it?
Give me an example of when you took an unpopular stance in a meeting with peers and your
leader and you were the outlier. What was it, why did you feel strongly about it, and what did
you do?
When do you decide to go along with the group decision even if you disagree?
Give me an example of a time you chose to acquiesce to the group even when you disagreed.
Would you make the same decision now?
Describe a time where you felt really strongly about something but ultimately lost the argument.
How hard did you press the issue? What was your approach after you lost the argument?
Give an example when you submitted a good idea to your manager and he/she did not take action
on it? How did you handle it? What was the end outcome?
Tell me about a time the business gained something because you persisted for a length of time.
Why were you so determined? How did it turn out?
Provide an example of a time when you have had to make a difficult decision under pressure and
then defend and justify it. Was it the right decision?

HIRE AND DEVELOP THE BEST


Definition and Indicators Hire and Develop the Best: Leaders raise the performance bar with
every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them
throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching
others. What this looks like in Practice As a people manager do you… As an individual
contributor do you… · Take the interviewing process seriously by understanding the job and
focusing on hiring people who we can learn from and who will raise the high performance bar? ·
Identify the right job description and candidate profile to attract the best candidates and to raise
the performance bar? · Do whatever it takes by being relentless and creative to hire the best
candidates?
· Make it a priority to coach and teach employees; provide regular feedback? · Recognize and act
upon poor performance and hiring mistakes quickly? · Help employees drive their own
development and learning by regularly discussing career goals, strengths and areas for
development; identifying development activities and moves for all employees? · Drive your own
development and learning by actively discussing career goals, strengths and areas for
development and pursuing activities that support your growth? · Invest in the growth of others by
taking ownership to mentor and guide them when you have expertise in a particular area?
Give me an example of one of the best hires of your career. How did this person progress
through their career? What did you identify during the hiring process that drove his or her
success?
Tell me how you help your team members develop their careers. Can you give me two to three
examples of specific people in whom invested and how you helped them develop their careers
including one who wasn’t being successful but you saw potential and chose to invest?
Give me an example of a time you have provided feedback to develop and leverage the strengths
of someone on your team. Were you able to positively impact that person’s performance? What
were your most effective methods?