Bezos requires a six-page narrative in his meetings.
Bezos prefers six-pagers to PowerPoint presentations simply because it requires the team to get the concept right and include all the crucial facts. Sometimes, teams work tirelessly for weeks to get this report off the ground. And when a team brings a six-pager to a meeting,
Bezos requires everyone to spend the first twenty minutes or so carefully absorbing the narrative. No one can fake reading it. Once the reading ends, the group engages in an animated, confrontational discussion, challenging premises, underlying facts, and the viability of the project from the customer’s point of view.
Bezos himself reads with a high level of concentration. He is absorbing all information while, at the same time, anticipating bumps and icy patches on the road. When all is set, he begins giving both strategic and tactical feedback on the narrative in minute detail.