Amazonians know that speed matters in business. Discuss a time when you had to make a decision on the spot.
Amazon's 9th Leadership Principle is 'Bias for Action.' This principle states, 'Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk-taking.'
The interviewer wants to hear evidence that you are an individual who can make calculated decisions quickly and under pressure. They want to know more about your thinking process and how you approach calculating a decision with little time to seek out all pertinent information.
When approaching this question, tell a story that highlights your ability to take action and make on-the-spot decisions. Amazon asks that when you answer behavioral interview questions, you try to follow the STAR answer method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Provide the contextual information the interviewer needs to know to make sense of your story.
- Task: Continuing to set the stage, give the interviewer an idea of your role and responsibilities in this story.
- Action: Next, offer a detailed description of the steps you took in this story.
- Result: Last, talk about the specific, measurable outcomes that resulted from your actions.
If you have work experience, it's best to provide an example from your professional life. If you are new to your career, consider an example from your post-secondary education, a team sport, volunteer commitment, or a club-based activity.
"I prefer a known probability to an unknown one. For that reason, when I need to decide on the spot, I will first scan my thoughts for any existing knowledge or examples related to the decision. For instance, I will quickly think if I or anyone I know has faced a similar situation. Then, I consider the action that was taken and then the result. (Situation) I currently work at Company XYZ as a Team Lead. Last month, our corporate head office requested a last-minute full inventory count. We had just 48 hours to complete this count, and these inventory counts typically take three full days to complete. (Task) As the Team Lead, it was up to me to determine how the team would make this happen and right away. (Action) I rescheduled the team to work longer split shifts to ensure we met the timeline without overworking anyone. I turned the task into a competition where the first person to complete their inventory section received two free movie tickets. (Result) My plan worked well! We finished the inventory count in just 39 hours, and the team connected at the same time. This example showcases my ability to have a 'Bias for Action.' I understood in this case that speed mattered more than anything, so I did not overthink the situation and instead took action. I appreciate that Amazon encourages calculated risk-taking since not every decision requires extensive thought."
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