Leadership - Andy Jassy
Leadership - Andy Jassy
Leadership - Andy Jassy
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Tables of Content
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Applied Leadership Theory in Practice – Leadership Analysis of Andy Jassy:
Part A - Executive Summary
Amazon have risen from humble beginnings to digital behemoths that dominate the online scene
during the previous two decades. During that time of rapid expansion, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy
had drastically different methods to leading their companies. A careful assessment of CEO's
personality and leadership style demonstrates how each has influenced the success of their
organisation. Jassy has exhibited many characteristics of a good leader.
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2. Andy Jassy as a Leader
2.1 Introduction:
Andy Jassy is the new CEO of Amazon, but he has been with the firm for 24 years. Jassy has
displayed the personality qualities and leadership styles of a strong leader during his tenure at
Amazon. His personality is characterised by openness and conscientiousness in the Big Five
Model. He claimed in 2017 that "we walk into meetings trying to find ways to say yes to new
ideas" (Dyer & Gregerson, 2017). He attributes his business ideals of "diligence" and "doing
things right" to his father and early tennis teachings. A inquisitive but ethical personality is a
desirable attribute for every company's CEO. His personality sets the tone for the company's
culture at all levels. Jassy has also demonstrated his ability to alter leadership approaches by
employing Path-Goal Theory. He adopted an achievement-oriented leadership style while
running Amazon Web Services (AWS), which evolved from Amazon's online platform to a
marketable offering to other corporations (). Jassy, as a participatory leader, recently encouraged
team leaders to create their own return-to-work plans amid the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic.
Concurrently, as a supportive leader, he recognised the need to enhance Amazon employees'
working circumstances. By adapting his leadership approach to the circumstance, Jassy is
improving his relationship with Amazon's staff base and winning their trust to face future
problems together.
Jassy's ability to think strategically and understand where the industry is heading is one of his
significant skills as a leader. He has a long-term vision for AWS and can predict market trends
and client demands. This has enabled him to establish AWS as a global leader in cloud
computing and to create novel products that answer evolving customer demands.
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Jassy is also recognised for his data-driven decision-making style. He thinks that data is a crucial
instrument for driving innovation and growth, and he has fostered an experimental and
innovative culture at AWS. He pushes his staff to utilise data to make choices and to swiftly test
new ideas, which has allowed AWS to remain ahead of the competition.
Jassy is also noted for his emphasis on outcomes. He establishes clear objectives and
expectations for his teams and holds them accountable for meeting them. This emphasis on
outcomes has aided AWS's development and profitability, as well as maintained the firm
competitive in a continuously changing industry. Jassy's ability to attract and retain elite
personnel is another crucial aspect of his leadership style. He has assembled a formidable team
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of competent specialists committed to providing the best possible service to consumers. He
embraces diversity and inclusion and has strived to build a friendly and inclusive work
environment for all workers.
These principles can take many different forms: Vision statements express a firm's long-term
goals and aspirations; missions define the business and its emphasis; and statements of purpose
assist a corporation in aligning roadmaps with its strategy. These many types of principles give a
clear and formalised statement of where—and how—a company will direct its attention,
resources, and energy. Companies, understandably, put a lot of thought into them. Principles
express a company's underlying beliefs and the belief system it will use in servicing consumers
and conducting business.
As stated in the Leadership Principle Bias for Action, "speed matters in business." AWS CEO
Andy Jassy mentioned speed as one of eight critical criteria for firms who want to develop a
culture of invention and reinvention that continuously generates value to consumers in his keynote
talk at 2020 re: Invent.
“Speed is not preordained; speed is a choice,” Jassy said. “You can make this choice, and you’ve
got to set up a culture that has urgency and actually wants to experiment…you’ve got to be doing
it all the time.”
Maintaining a Bias for Action demands us to Think Big, another Leadership Principle that
reminds leaders to convey a strong vision, inspire outcomes, and search around corners for
opportunities to help consumers. Thinking Big is frequently where leaders may have the most
influence in developing an innovative culture and pushing the organisation to think differently
and audaciously. To go beyond core capabilities and question the status quo, risk disruption, and
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push limits in order to build a vision that is greater than the existing reality. Leaders may assist
an organisation Think Big from the top down and drive constant, customer-focused innovation at
breakneck speed.
Decisions that are irreversible—those that are difficult to unwind and return to where you started
—need to be taken with serious and systematic consideration and contemplation. These decisions
need taking the time to Dive Deep and ensuring we have the correct data, important facts, and
meticulous validation to guide the strategy before it is implemented.
Andy Jassy is well-known at Amazon Web Services (AWS) for his ability to encourage his staff
and build a culture of cooperation and creativity. He recognises that engaged and motivated
personnel are critical to attaining success and generating development, and he has devised many
tactics to keep his teams engaged and motivated.
Setting clear objectives and expectations is one of the primary ways Jassy encourages his teams.
He believes that people perform better when they understand what is expected of them and how
their job contributes to the overall success of the organisation. He establishes high but attainable
goals for his teams and offers them with the necessary assistance and resources to accomplish
those goals.
Jassy also pushes his staff to take risks and try new things. He thinks that keeping ahead of the
competition requires innovation, and he promotes a culture of experimentation and creativity at
AWS. He pushes his employees to think outside the box and come up with novel problem-
solving ideas. He also rewards people who are prepared to take chances and attempt new things.
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Figure 2: Andy Jassy Quotes
Jassy also stimulates his workers by offering them possibilities for growth and development. He
recognises that people want to feel like they are growing and expanding their talents, therefore he
offers opportunities for training, mentorship, and career development. He pushes his employees
to take on new challenges and to grow in areas that interest them.
Jassy also embraces diversity and inclusion, and she has worked hard to establish a workplace
where all employees feel appreciated and respected. He has put in place measures to promote
work-life balance and has established a welcoming and inclusive work atmosphere that
encourages cooperation and creativity.
Andy Jassy encourages his people through establishing clear objectives and expectations,
promoting risk-taking and creativity, offering chances for growth and development, developing a
friendly and inclusive work environment, and being an effective communicator and motivator.
These tactics assisted him in building a strong and motivated staff at AWS, which led to the
company's success.
Another crucial trait that Jassy displays in his leadership style is empathy. He understands the
difficulties and problems that his staff and clients confront. Jassy has developed excellent
relationships with consumers and stakeholders by exhibiting empathy and resolving their
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problems in a sensitive and caring manner. This has contributed to AWS being a trusted and
respected brand in the industry.
Jassy recognises the significance of self-care and stress management. He looks for himself and
encourages his colleagues to do so as well. Jassy has worked to guarantee that employees feel
appreciated and supported by prioritising their well-being and providing a friendly work
environment. This has contributed to the development and expansion of AWS by fostering a
culture of cooperation and innovation.
3. Theoretical Framework
characteristics have made Jassy a successful leader and have contributed to the growth and success of
AWS as a respected brand in the industry.
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4. Conclusion
According to the facts stated above, customer engagement, building a strong organisational
culture, and incorporating elements of innovation and long-term change are some of the relevant
aspects that highlight Andy Jassy's "bold leadership and unique management style."
Furthermore, trust, honesty, and serendipity are considered as key components of his leadership
style. The exceptional perspective on decision-making capabilities and problem-solving views
inside Amazon and AWS organisational structure has also contributed to the brand's diversified
orientation and character.
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1. Introduction:
There has been an upsurge in the desire for ethical, compassionate, and self-aware leaders in
recent years. This is due to a growing awareness among communities and responsible enterprises
of the beneficial influence that such leaders can have on individual and organisational behaviour.
As a result, management educators may now address this need by introducing character-based
leadership development into the business school curriculum. I feel it is helpful to incorporate
multiple theoretical leadership frameworks that emphasise character strengths when
implementing character-based leadership development. As instructive examples of how to use
these paradigms, we might focus on servant leadership, genuine leadership, and multicultural
leadership. By doing so, we can create a more comprehensive approach to leadership
development that emphasizes the importance of character and its impact on leadership
effectiveness.
As a senior management professional, I emphasise on four important pillars that I call CORE:
Competence, Ourselves, Reflection, and Energy. The first pillar, Competence, relates to our
ability to contribute to the world and assist others by utilising our acquired abilities and intrinsic
talents. The second pillar, Ourselves, is recognising and embracing ourselves as people,
including our values, purpose, and imperfections. The third pillar, reflection, entails taking a step
back and evaluating the circumstances and demands of our stakeholders. Finally, the fourth
pillar, Energy, is concerned with how we present ourselves to the world via both verbal and
nonverbal communication, as well as how we impact people through our complete persona.
Incorporating these four CORE pillars into our personal and professional life may lead to
increased self-awareness, purpose, and leadership effectiveness. We may have a beneficial effect
on the world around us by increasing our competence, accepting our genuine selves, reflecting,
and expressing positive energy.
Individuals may take charge of their personal and professional growth and bring their complete
selves into leadership roles by journaling and concentrating on the CORE pillars. Individuals
who engage in this contemplative practise can get a variety of benefits, including improved
confidence and the opportunity to redefine and rebrand oneself.
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Journaling can also assist people in confronting the memories and experiences that they try to
repress or ignore. Furthermore, I used Gibbs Reflective Cycle to successfully describe my
professional viewpoint.
Graham Gibbs, an American psychologist and sociologist, established the Gibbs Reflective
Model, which expressly focuses on examining the trends related with learning from experiences.
The concept is further broken down into six primary stages: description, feelings, assessment,
analysis, conclusion, and action plan (Gibbs, 1988).
2.1 Description
In the below sections, I have described about my past and present leadership approach and style.
My position as a business administrator was particularly hard, since I was tasked with specifying
business administration and sales tactics for firms. In addition, I was tasked with analysing and
managing team performance as well as reporting on current events to my supervisors.
My leadership style, on the other hand, was consistent with the Trait method, since I was a firm
believer that a leader should always be ethical, intellectual, and forward-thinking. Understanding
market projections and developing promotional and advertising tactics necessitates foresight.
2.2 Feelings
I'd been journaling for years, but it wasn't until I wrote a paper on my own life during my
training that I realised its transforming effect. This approach demanded that I be brave and
honest with myself about my prior experiences and how they influenced me. This introspection
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provided me with a better knowledge of my own development and how to go forward in a
healthy path. Individuals who commit to journaling may tap into their inner resources and
experiences to increase self-awareness, strengthen leadership abilities, and achieve personal and
professional progress. It has the potential to be a powerful tool for anybody looking to make
great changes in their life.
For example, I remember my mother giving me a particular amount of money for groceries, and I
would methodically plan out the products I needed and their corresponding pricing to ensure I
didn't go over. This endeavour necessitated meticulous preparation and attention to detail, both
of which are essential in a managerial capacity. However, I recognise that in order to become a
more successful leader, I must first concentrate on motivating myself. I have a tendency to
mistrust my talents, even though I have demonstrated them in the past. Increasing my self-
confidence will allow me to inspire and motivate my coworkers and employees in the future. I
am convinced that through continual self-reflection and growth, I can establish a leadership style
that blends my management talents with the capacity to inspire and drive others to success.
3. Evaluation
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that at the time, I did not read articles or stay up with current business developments. However,
after reading a management book, I now realise that a corporate environment has many elements,
including technological, economic, political, legal, and sociocultural issues. I may impact the
technological dimension as a manager by investing in the best equipment for the organisation.
Furthermore, I've realised that the internal environment of a company, including its owners,
board of directors, staff, and culture, may have an impact on its environment.
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4. Analysis
According to my evaluation, my strategic framing strengths include the ability to map out how a
firm provides value for its consumers and the recognition that a lack of clear strategy can lead to
a competitive disadvantage. Through my studies, I learnt how to do a SWOT analysis to identify
a firm's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, which can then be used to improve the
overall performance of the organisation. However, I am aware that I still have a lot to learn about
corporate-level strategy, such as the many types of vertical integration, such as forward and
backward integration.
It is critical to evaluate the possible influence on all stakeholders, not only those who may profit,
before making choices. Your actions and behaviours as a manager have an influence not just on
you but also on people around you. As a result, it is critical to analyse all possibilities and make
the best decision for the scenario. My ethical convictions would have a huge impact on my
management behaviours and the way I conduct my organisation. For example, if I believe in
treating employees as if they were family, I would include it into my company practises. In
addition, similar to a family-based business, I would attempt to establish an open environment in
which employees feel comfortable speaking up if anything is not right. I would try to avoid
ethical quandaries like conflicts of interest, trade secrets, bribery, and whistleblowing because
they might undermine the company's brand and relationships with stakeholders.
5. Conclusion
The prior study's research of practical events based on analytical observations has helped me
continually reach vulnerabilities in my leadership approach. Working expertise in the marketing
industry would also help me properly decode practical scenarios and make logical judgements
for the organisation's speedy success. Conversely, discussing Andy Jassy's leadership style and
approach has allowed me to grasp the value of a flexible corporate culture and innovation.
I believe that my strategic thinking skills are currently lacking, which is accurate. I am not a
natural leader because I tend to be quiet and struggle with initiating conversations with new
people. Furthermore, I am not very good at visualizing concepts and require visual aids to
understand them fully. However, I have learned that every successful company requires a clear
vision, mission, and objectives. A vision describes what the company hopes to accomplish, a
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mission defines the activities it performs for its customers, and objectives serve as measurable
targets to gauge progress.
My assessment also revealed that I am in the process of developing a solid understanding of how
organizations are designed to achieve their strategic objectives. I now understand that there are
three main types of organizational structures, functional, divisional, and matrix structures. Each
structure has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and it's essential to choose the one that
best suits the needs of the company. In my case, I would prefer a functional structure because it
would allow me to get to know everyone in the company and work more closely with each
department.
Overall, I believe that my strengths in strategic framing can help me to develop a clear vision,
mission, and objectives for my company, while my understanding of organizational structures
can help me to choose the best structure to achieve these goals. However, I acknowledge that I
still have room for improvement, particularly in terms of asking questions and fully grasping
corporate-level strategies. With continued effort and learning, I hope to develop the confidence
and skills of a strategic leader.
6. Action Plan
Alternative skills to enhance my leadership capabilities
Andy Jassy has taught me to be more disciplined in my approach and to build situational
awareness. These two are also crucial imperatives that will assist me in improving my leadership
talents.
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