Jeff Bezos

And we would go back and forth. And I would often say, you know what? I don't think you're right, but I'm going to gamble with you. And you're closer to the ground truth than I am. I'd known you for 20 years. You have great judgment. I don't know that I'm right either. Not really, not for sure. All these decisions are complicated. Let's do it your way. But at least then you've made a decision.

And I'm agreeing to commit to that decision. So I'm not going to be second guessing it. I'm not going to be sniping at it. I'm not going to be saying, I told you so. I'm going to try actively to help make sure it works. That's a really important teammate behavior. There's so many ways that dispute resolution is a really interesting thing on teams.

And I'm agreeing to commit to that decision. So I'm not going to be second guessing it. I'm not going to be sniping at it. I'm not going to be saying, I told you so. I'm going to try actively to help make sure it works. That's a really important teammate behavior. There's so many ways that dispute resolution is a really interesting thing on teams.

And I'm agreeing to commit to that decision. So I'm not going to be second guessing it. I'm not going to be sniping at it. I'm not going to be saying, I told you so. I'm going to try actively to help make sure it works. That's a really important teammate behavior. There's so many ways that dispute resolution is a really interesting thing on teams.

And there are so many ways when two people disagree about something, even though I'm assuming the case where everybody is well-intentioned, they just have a very different opinion about what the right decision is. And we have in our society and inside companies, we have a bunch of mechanisms that we use to resolve these kinds of disputes. A lot of them are, I think, really bad.

And there are so many ways when two people disagree about something, even though I'm assuming the case where everybody is well-intentioned, they just have a very different opinion about what the right decision is. And we have in our society and inside companies, we have a bunch of mechanisms that we use to resolve these kinds of disputes. A lot of them are, I think, really bad.

And there are so many ways when two people disagree about something, even though I'm assuming the case where everybody is well-intentioned, they just have a very different opinion about what the right decision is. And we have in our society and inside companies, we have a bunch of mechanisms that we use to resolve these kinds of disputes. A lot of them are, I think, really bad.

So an example of a really bad way of coming to agreement is compromise. So compromise, you know, look, we're in a room here and I could say, Lex, how tall do you think this ceiling is? And you'd be like, I don't know, Jeff, maybe 12 feet tall. And I would say, I think it's 11 feet tall. And then we'd say, you know what, let's just call it 11 and a half feet. That's compromise.

So an example of a really bad way of coming to agreement is compromise. So compromise, you know, look, we're in a room here and I could say, Lex, how tall do you think this ceiling is? And you'd be like, I don't know, Jeff, maybe 12 feet tall. And I would say, I think it's 11 feet tall. And then we'd say, you know what, let's just call it 11 and a half feet. That's compromise.

So an example of a really bad way of coming to agreement is compromise. So compromise, you know, look, we're in a room here and I could say, Lex, how tall do you think this ceiling is? And you'd be like, I don't know, Jeff, maybe 12 feet tall. And I would say, I think it's 11 feet tall. And then we'd say, you know what, let's just call it 11 and a half feet. That's compromise.

Instead of the right thing to do is, you know, to get a tape measure or figure out some way of actually measuring. But think... getting that tape measure and figure out how to get it to the top of the ceiling and all these things, that requires energy. Compromise, the advantage of compromise as a resolution mechanism is that it's low energy. But it doesn't lead to truth.

Instead of the right thing to do is, you know, to get a tape measure or figure out some way of actually measuring. But think... getting that tape measure and figure out how to get it to the top of the ceiling and all these things, that requires energy. Compromise, the advantage of compromise as a resolution mechanism is that it's low energy. But it doesn't lead to truth.

Instead of the right thing to do is, you know, to get a tape measure or figure out some way of actually measuring. But think... getting that tape measure and figure out how to get it to the top of the ceiling and all these things, that requires energy. Compromise, the advantage of compromise as a resolution mechanism is that it's low energy. But it doesn't lead to truth.

And so in things like the height of the ceiling where truth is a knowable thing, you shouldn't allow compromise to be used when you can know the truth. Another really bad resolution mechanism that happens all the time is just who's more stubborn. Yeah. This is also, let's say, two executives who disagree, and they just have a war of attrition.

And so in things like the height of the ceiling where truth is a knowable thing, you shouldn't allow compromise to be used when you can know the truth. Another really bad resolution mechanism that happens all the time is just who's more stubborn. Yeah. This is also, let's say, two executives who disagree, and they just have a war of attrition.

And so in things like the height of the ceiling where truth is a knowable thing, you shouldn't allow compromise to be used when you can know the truth. Another really bad resolution mechanism that happens all the time is just who's more stubborn. Yeah. This is also, let's say, two executives who disagree, and they just have a war of attrition.

And whichever one gets exhausted first capitulates to the other one. Again, you haven't arrived at truth. And this is very demoralizing. So this is where escalation, I try to ask people who, on my team, It's a never get to a point where you are resolving something by who gets exhausted first. Escalate that. I'll help you make the decision.

And whichever one gets exhausted first capitulates to the other one. Again, you haven't arrived at truth. And this is very demoralizing. So this is where escalation, I try to ask people who, on my team, It's a never get to a point where you are resolving something by who gets exhausted first. Escalate that. I'll help you make the decision.

And whichever one gets exhausted first capitulates to the other one. Again, you haven't arrived at truth. And this is very demoralizing. So this is where escalation, I try to ask people who, on my team, It's a never get to a point where you are resolving something by who gets exhausted first. Escalate that. I'll help you make the decision.

Because that's so de-energizing and such a terrible, lousy way to make a decision.