What does the #3 World's Most Admired Companies, the #18 Fortune 500 Company and the #44 Global 500 Company have in common? Everything! Because they are the same company: Amazon.

Whether you work for a company as an employee, manage a team within a company or run a business as an owner or an executive, we could all learn a thing or two about how we manage "our business" by reading through and appreciating Amazon's Leadership Principles as shared by an Amazon insider below.

Whether you are an individual contributor or the manager of a large team, you are an Amazon leader. These are our leadership principles and every Amazonian is guided by these principles.

Customer Obsession
Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.

Ownership
Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job."

Invent and Simplify
Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here." As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time.

Are Right, A Lot
Leaders are right a lot. They have strong business judgment and good instincts.

Hire and Develop the Best
Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others.

Insist on the Highest Standards
Leaders have relentlessly high standards - many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and driving their teams to deliver high quality products, services and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.

Think Big
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.

Bias for Action
Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking.

Frugality
We try not to spend money on things that don’t matter to customers. Frugality breeds resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.

Vocally Self Critical
Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. Leaders come forward with problems or information, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.

Earn Trust of Others
Leaders are sincerely open-minded, genuinely listen, and are willing to examine their strongest convictions with humility.

Dive Deep
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, and audit frequently. No task is beneath them.

Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.

Deliver Results
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.

So there you have it. The Leadership Principles from one of the greatest businesses on the planet. What are you waiting for? It's time to get to work!

Be Great!
Nathan

It was 1999 and at the ripe age of 22, I sat in an auditorium with a handful of other sales-aspiring "professionals" listening to an executive of my first employer tell us that, "the key to success, is to never be satisfied."

Just like that [Insert snap of the fingers here], I was inspired. That arrow of advice hit my bullseye.

Nearly 20 years later, countless deals signed and an office full of professional awards and letters of appreciation, I am thinking back on that moment and reflecting on the professional advice I received at 22 years of age. As I reflect on it, I am asking myself, knowing what I know today, what professional advice would I give myself as I took the first steps of my career journey?

Below is some of that advice.

Make a Plan
One of my first thoughts is, there is more than one way to summit the mountain of success. What worked for me may not necessarily work for the next guy. What worked for the next girl may not necessarily work for me.

Throughout my career, I have come to realize the criticality of planning. Whether it is planning for the day, the month, the quarter or the year, making a plan is the first step towards success.

Part of that plan includes defining success. As I mentioned above, there is more than one way to summit the mountain of success, so to achieve it, you should know what it looks like, feels like and tastes like to you personally.

Another lesson I have learned is that failing to plan does not necessarily mean failing to succeed. Without a plan, you may achieve tremendous levels of success while with a plan, you may encounter defeat after defeat. But looking back on my nearly 20 years, the trend I recognize is that I have more wins (successes) than losses (failures) when I took the time to create a plan.

Establish a Network
Have you heard the expression, "it takes a village to move a mountain?" The expression implies you need help to achieve your objective. So, if your objective is to succeed, you need help to achieve it.

Let's face it Nate, regardless of what you thought at 22, you didn't know nearly as much as you thought you did. Now, I'll admit, back then, I scoffed at the person who suggested that indictment, but as they say, hindsight is always 20-20.

Any success I achieve today is with the help of others, my "network," which includes business mentors and industry advisors, colleagues and employees, my wife and my friends. Whether they know it or not, my network shines a bright light on my path towards success.

The sooner you realize it takes a village (network) to move a mountain (success), the sooner you will begin to realize the success you aspire towards.

Deny Satisfaction
Nearly 20 years later, "the key to success, is to never be satisfied" still echoes in the halls of my mind and fuels my ambitions. While my ambitions have changed over the years, as they likely will for you too, the fuel or the driver has not.

Let me make one thing clear, recognize and celebrate your wins and your successes. Doing so provides you the much needed burst of energy you need to dig back in, face the next setback and to keep moving forward.

Countless times throughout my nearly 20 years, I, and others around me, have lost focus by celebrating too long and suffered major setbacks, some resulting in terminations, because we got caught up in the satisfaction of the victory.

To avoid the same pitfall requires acknowledgement and determination. Acknowledgement of the win and what it means to the short term and long term goals. And determination to not get caught up in the success or failure In front of you, recognize it as a waypoint towards your destination and to continue moving forward, towards your summit of success, regardless of what those around you are doing.

The journey to your summit of success is a long, winding road that will certainly include countless setbacks. At least mine has. But with a plan, a network and relentless determination, you will certainly summit your mountain.

Be Great!
Nathan