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Jeff Bezos, the visionary founder of Amazon, has a unique approach to leadership. Unlike many CEOs who get bogged down in the daily grind, Bezos has crafted his role to focus almost entirely on the future. "I get to work in the future," he says. This approach isn't just a luxury of running a massive company—it's a deliberate strategy that has been key to Amazon's meteoric rise.
Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Living in the Future
Bezos explains that he has very few day-to-day operational responsibilities. Instead, he's designed his job so that he can spend most of his time thinking two or three years ahead. This future-focused mindset allows him to anticipate market trends, plan for new innovations, and stay ahead of the competition.
This isn’t just about dreaming big; it’s about practical leadership. By staying in the future, Bezos avoids getting caught up in the immediate challenges that can consume so much of a leader's time. If something pulls him back to the present, it's typically because something has gone wrong—a "firefighting exercise," as he puts it. But for the most part, Bezos believes that running a business of Amazon’s scale should not be about putting out fires. Instead, it should be about looking around corners, anticipating what’s next, and positioning the company to meet those future challenges head-on.
The Power of Thinking Ahead
This approach is something Bezos advises his senior team to adopt as well. Amazon is big enough now, he says, that they too need to be able to look around corners. This ability to think ahead and plan for the long term has been a crucial part of Amazon’s success.
For example, when Amazon first started, it was just an online bookstore. But Bezos was already thinking about how to expand beyond books, anticipating that customers would want a broader selection. This forward-thinking strategy led to the creation of what is now one of the largest and most diverse online marketplaces in the world.
Another example of Bezos's future-focused strategy is Amazon Web Services (AWS). When it launched in 2006, many people didn’t understand why an online retailer was getting into the cloud computing business. But Bezos and his team saw the potential for cloud computing to become a critical infrastructure for businesses worldwide. Today, AWS is a major revenue stream for Amazon and a cornerstone of the company's operations.
Lessons from Other Visionaries
Bezos isn't the only leader who has emphasized the importance of thinking ahead. Steve Jobs, the legendary co-founder of Apple, was also known for his ability to anticipate future trends and needs. He famously said, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them,” highlighting the importance of innovation and forward-thinking in product development.
Similarly, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, spends much of his time thinking about the future of humanity, whether it’s colonizing Mars or developing sustainable energy solutions. His ability to focus on long-term goals, rather than just immediate profits, has driven Tesla’s growth and innovation in the electric vehicle market.
Creating the Future
For leaders and entrepreneurs, Bezos’s approach offers a valuable lesson: Don’t get too caught up in the present. It’s easy to get stuck in the daily operations, but the real breakthroughs come when you’re thinking ahead, planning for the future, and anticipating the next big thing.
So, whether you're leading a startup or managing a large company, remember to carve out time to focus on the future. Encourage your team to do the same. By staying a few steps ahead, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the challenges of today and seize the opportunities of tomorrow. Just like Bezos, you too can create a future where your company thrives.
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