Jeff Bezos is known for his unconventional management style at Amazon, including his famous ‘two-pizza rule’—he avoids meetings that two pizzas can’t feed, believing smaller teams are more effective and cost-efficient. But one of his boldest changes was banning PowerPoint presentations altogether.
At the 2018 Bush Center’s Forum on Leadership, Bezos revealed that every Amazon meeting starts with 30 minutes of silence. During this time, attendees read a carefully crafted, six-page narrative memo that replaces traditional slideshows. This ensures everyone is fully informed and prevents executives from bluffing or derailing presentations before they understand the full context.
Bezos emphasized that these memos are a collaborative effort—no names appear on them—and require multiple drafts and feedback before they’re shared. Though more demanding, he believes this process forces clear thinking and has completely transformed how Amazon runs meetings.
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