Jeff Bezos’s Meeting Strategies for Deep Thinking and Efficiency

Learn how Jeff Bezos maximizes meeting efficiency with silent reading, detailed memos, and the two-pizza rule for smarter discussions

min read

Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder, has pioneered a unique meeting style that maximizes efficiency and promotes deep thinking. He starts meetings with 30 minutes of quiet reading time. No flashy PowerPoint slides allowed – just well-written memos. He keeps meetings small using his "two-pizza rule." This approach helps everyone think deeply, come prepared, and have real talks. It's all about making meetings count in today's fast-moving business world.

Here are some key takeaways:

Start with 30 minutes of silent reading: Everyone spends the first half hour quietly reading a detailed memo about the meeting's topic. This ensures all participants have the same up-to-date information and are prepared for discussion.
Use detailed memos instead of PowerPoint: Teams prepare 6-page narrative memos instead of slide presentations. This approach forces clear thinking and better communication of ideas, making it harder to hide weak arguments.
Keep meetings small (the two-pizza rule): Limit attendees to the number two pizzas can feed (usually 5-8 people). Smaller groups lead to better discussions and faster decision-making, ensuring only essential people are present.
Focus on storytelling in memos: The 6-page memos should tell a clear, compelling story about the topic. This narrative approach helps everyone understand complex ideas more easily and keeps readers engaged.
Push for deep thinking and good prep: The memo-writing process encourages teams to think deeply about their ideas and consider different viewpoints. This thorough preparation leads to more productive meetings and better decisions.
Get everyone involved in the discussion: After the reading period, all attendees participate in a thorough discussion. This approach encourages even quieter team members to share their thoughts, leading to a more diverse range of ideas.

Bezos' way of doing meetings isn't just about saving time – it's about changing how we work together. By focusing on understanding and really thinking things through, this method helps create a workplace where smart decisions are the norm. As businesses face tougher challenges, using some of these ideas can lead to better solutions and smarter strategies. It's all about staying sharp and innovative in today's ever-changing business scene.

How VCA helps with meeting agendas?

We understand that capturing the essence of deep, meaningful discussions can be challenging. Often, the most valuable insights are either inadequately recorded or lost entirely.

That’s why we are building the Video Calling App - it helps product and engineering teams capture meeting context, automate tasks, and focus on high-impact work.

We are still in the early stages and rolling out access every day. If that sounds interesting, join the waitlist or fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch super soon.

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