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The Power of Saying Yes: How Amazon's Policy Led to One of Its Biggest Successes

Salim Ismail shares a fascinating insight into Amazon's unique approach to innovation. This approach not only encourages creativity but has also led to the creation of one of the company’s most successful products. Let’s explore how Amazon’s “yes” culture can teach us valuable lessons.


Photo: fc studio


Amazon's Culture of Yes

At Amazon, if you come up with an idea and present it to your boss, their default answer must be "yes." If they want to say "no," they must write a two-page thesis explaining why the idea is bad and post it publicly. This policy creates friction and embarrassment around saying "no."


The Impact of the Yes Culture

This approach makes it easier for ideas to move forward. The thinking is, "Go ahead, you'll fail at the next level anyway." This freedom to explore and potentially fail is crucial for innovation.

One incredible outcome of this policy is Amazon Web Services (AWS). Originally, AWS had nothing to do with Amazon's core strategy and wasn't on their roadmap. But no one could figure out how to say "no" to it. Today, AWS is one of the most successful products ever, delivering about 75% of Amazon's global profits.


Lessons We Can Learn


1. Encourage Creativity: Amazon’s policy encourages employees to think creatively and propose new ideas without fear of immediate rejection.


Example: Google allows employees to spend 20% of their time on personal projects. This policy led to the creation of Gmail and Google Maps.


2. Create Barriers to Saying No: Making it difficult to reject ideas can ensure that only well-considered rejections happen. This keeps the door open for potentially groundbreaking innovations.


Example: 3M has a “15% rule” where employees can use 15% of their work time to chase new ideas. This led to the invention of Post-it Notes.


3. Embrace the Possibility of Failure: Allowing ideas to move forward even if they might fail at the next level encourages a culture where innovation can thrive.


Example: Apple’s culture of embracing failure has led to groundbreaking products like the iPhone. They had many prototypes that didn’t work out, but they kept pushing forward.


Conclusion

Salim Ismail’s insight into Amazon’s culture highlights the power of saying "yes." By encouraging creativity, making it hard to reject new ideas, and embracing the possibility of failure, Amazon has fostered an environment where innovation can thrive. This approach led to the creation of AWS, a product that has become a cornerstone of their business.

Adopting a similar mindset in our own endeavors can open the door to extraordinary opportunities and successes. So, next time you have an idea, remember the power of "yes" and the incredible potential it can unlock.


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