Having a great CEO makes a difference for just about every company. It makes an even bigger difference in the technology world.
Change in the last ten years has been nothing short of remarkable. Things like smartphones, social media, and the gig economy didn’t really exist a decade ago. Sure, BlackBerries were everywhere in 2006, but they were nothing compared to the devices we carry in our pockets today.
The world has certainly changed for Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), too. It was still very much a retail-focused company back in 2006. It has made a number of strides since, including getting big into the web hosting business, producing its own products, and becoming much more focused on shipping logistics.
You’d think CEO Jeff Bezos would be hyper-focused on change, trying to figure out where technology is going so he can be there first. But that’s not really the case.
Bezos looks at it in the opposite way. He focuses on things that aren’t changing, and won’t change over the next 10 years. He then applies this thinking to Amazon’s business.
This kind of thinking has influenced Amazon’s retail business substantially. It continues to focus on low prices, fast delivery, and a large selection because Bezos knows those main tenets will remain true for years to come.
By taking traditional thinking and turning it on its head, Bezos further cements his place as one of tech’s best CEOs. He’s a big reason why Amazon commands such high valuations.
