CEO Andy Jassy Reveals the Secret to Earning Trust at Amazon

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has signaled a shift in leadership expectations, emphasizing that active participation and verbal contributions during meetings are no longer optional—they are essential for building professional trust.

In recent internal communications and leadership forums, Andy highlighted that “speaking up” is a primary metric for evaluating an employee’s engagement and ownership within the company’s high-pressure culture.

The Trust-Through-Transparency Mandate at Amazon

At the core of Andy’s philosophy is the belief that silence in meetings creates a vacuum of accountability.

According to Andy, when employees remain silent, leadership cannot gauge their conviction, their understanding of a project, or their ability to challenge the status quo.

For him, trust isn’t built through quiet competence alone; it is forged when individuals articulate their reasoning, defend their data, and contribute to the “disagree and commit” culture that Amazon famously champions.

“It is very hard to build trust with people who don’t speak up in meetings,” Andy reportedly noted.

He views vocal participation as a sign of preparedness.

In an environment where data is king, those who do not share their perspective on that data are often perceived as being less invested in the outcome.

The “Day 1” Culture Re-Ignited

This push for vocal accountability aligns with Andy’s broader effort to return Amazon to its “Day 1” roots, characterized by speed, risk-taking, and high-velocity decision-making.

By demanding that team members speak up, Andy is attempting to eliminate “social cohesion.” This is the tendency for team members to stay quiet just to avoid conflict.

This leadership style stands in contrast to the traditional corporate hierarchy where junior employees wait for permission to speak.

Andy’s Amazon expects even entry-level associates to offer insights if they possess the relevant expertise.

This effectively democratizes the room while simultaneously raising the stakes for every attendee.

Adapting to the High-Stakes Environment

For employees, this mandate means that “showing up” is no longer enough. Preparation is now a prerequisite for meeting participation.

Andy Jassy’s stance suggests that if an employee has nothing to contribute, the meeting itself may have been unnecessary.

Alternatively, it implies the employee may not be deeply enough into the details of their role.

The takeaway for professionals beyond Amazon is clear: in the modern corporate landscape, visibility is tied to voice.

Silence is no longer seen as a sign of listening; it is increasingly interpreted as a lack of conviction.

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