Success Tips from Jeff Bezos — How They Can Apply to You

Jeff Bezos is famous for saying, “Success is going to require talented experts, a beginner’s mind, and a long-term orientation.” His recent goal of disrupting the health care system with JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO, Warren Buffet, will require all of this and more.

How does Jeff Bezos attack an issue and get results?

In a recent article on Inc.com, the author, Justin Bariso, discusses Jeff Bezos’
3-Step Formula for Success.

I’d like to share it with you and add some thoughts on how you can apply the mindset and methods to achieve success in your career.

1. Jeff Bezos says, “Surround yourself with the right people.” Most organizations spend too little time hiring and far too much time firing. They often rely on HR executives and not enough on their direct line staff members. They also don’t think creatively, looking for potential employees who are not the obvious choice but someone who could bring a freshness of ideas, another perspective, and fewer prejudices; someone who just might not look like anyone else on the team.

   Few hiring managers look for team fit. How will this group work together? How can we enhance the individuals and therefore, the team? How can they become more innovative and productive by adding this specific member? Rather than having the potential hire speak with everyone above their rank, why isn’t he/she interacting with those they will work with — the people they will see every day on whose success they all depend?

   Smart is important, but it’s not enough. Without an equal quantity of emotional intelligence, you’re building a dysfunctional, potentially combative, unhappy group that will never reach its potential. There are jerks at all levels of IQ. Just make sure they don’t become your jerk.

   Take the time, look deep and hard for the star performers. Hire people who aren’t looking to move from their current employer, pay their price, get buy-in from the infantry not just the generals, ask questions that require insight into their behavior and interactions with others.

   Seek those very different from yourself. Read what people you disagree with read. Attend events out of your inner circle. Take the other side of the debate. Exercise those brain muscles you haven’t used since college.

   So many of us are overwhelmed with our current responsibilities, we can’t imagine having the time to do more. I guarantee you, stepping outside of your sphere of people is not only refreshing but also exposes you to ideas and new approaches that you might never have imagined.

2. Jeff Bezos says, “Have a ‘learn-it-all’ mindset.” He refers to this as “a beginner’s mind.” It requires intellectual curiosity, a desire to get rid of the constraints of “we’ve always done it this way” mentality. A willingness and desire to acquire new knowledge. To make mistakes in search of the different and better solutions, while potentially having fun. It takes a courageous mindset because the naysayers will be out in droves telling you, “it’s a waste of time,” or “if it’s not broken …,” or “you’re too old and out of touch for this.” Run from them.

   This is a mindset and attitude requiring a desire and ability to explore unmapped territory. To look under the rocks and into space (thank you Elon Musk).

   It also demands hard work. To start from nothing and learn something new or dissect something to its core with hopes of finding a new aspect, efficiency, or direction, takes time and energy. It also requires commitment. Just like Bezos, we should be looking for such people and one of them should be us.

3. Jeff Bezos says, “Be ready to play the long game.” The internet didn’t happen overnight. Amazon’s aim was never simply to disrupt the book industry, and Steve Jobs didn’t want to get in the phone business. People who think big are strategic and have the patience to operate in the long-term to achieve their visions. They make decisions asking themselves, “Does this get us closer to our big goal?”

   It’s the difference between looking for a job and designing a career, and why you take the better position even though it might not offer the top salary. Also, why early in your career you might accept a role in a prestigious organization to get the brand on your resume and then seek out a more entrepreneurial venture once you have honed the basic skills.

   I’m a big advocate of a career strategy. In fact, my coaching company’s tagline is, “Career Strategies for the Competitive Edge.” I believe without a strategy, you can easily be drawn to every shining object in the job market. Money is often the brightest. Without a long game in mind, you take the risk of reducing, avoiding, or neglecting future opportunities.

   In a workplace environment where “what have you done for me today” is prevalent, it’s easy to get distracted, taking you off course with your personal long-game. It makes revisiting, and possibly tweaking, your long-term goals on a regular basis essential.

It’s hard to argue with the success of Jeff Bezos. In addition to his many accomplishments is how clear he is about the path and steps to his vision. Surrounding himself with the right people, being a lifelong learner, and focusing on the long-game are only a few of his very clear and actionable beliefs.

For more words of wisdom from Jeff, go to “47 Inspirational Jeff Bezos Quotes on Success.”