“Managers in departments of fifty people or more are required to 'top-grade' their subordinates along a curve and must dismiss the least effective performers. As a result of this ongoing examination, many Amazon employees live in perpetual fear. A common experience among Amazon workers is a feeling of genuine surprise when one receives a good performance review. Managers are so parsimonious with compliments that underlings tend to spend their days anticipating their termination.”
More from Brad Stone
“Jeff, one day you'll understand that it's harder to be kind than clever.”
“All of this comes from Bezos himself. Amazon’s values are his business principles, molded…”
“Book publishers needed only to listen to Jeff Bezos himself to have their fears stoked.…”