Jeff Bezos And Amazon – Do They Really Run The Company?
Jeff Bezos and Amazon have been the subject of much comment in recent months, with some observers suggesting that he may become the next president of the United States. Others, however, would consider that far-fetched. One thing is for certain: Bezos and Amazon are here to stay. And for those who are investors in these very profitable businesses, it seems that the trend lines are going in the right direction.
At the same time, there has been a lot of bad press recently regarding Amazon, including claims by an ousted employee that the company was not actually practicing what it preached, and accusations of poor treatment of temporary employees by Bezos. But, is it really fair to say that Bezos runs the company? That’s one way to look at it.
Is Bezos actually running the business? Well, some say he is. Other observers would disagree, arguing that Bezos simply leads the business, but does not run it. These are two pretty well-known definitions of leadership, but let’s use them here to help you make sense of some things going on. So, what exactly is leadership in the business world?
There is some disagreement, even among those who are closely aligned with Bezos, about the definition of leadership. For example, the company has some board members, but they aren’t necessarily “in charge.” Others argue that the board doesn’t actually run the business. What they’re trying to say is that while it has responsibility, it isn’t actually running the business – which has been the focus of some critiques.
There is also disagreement as to whether it is actually running the company – as opposed to directing it. For example, some have argued that the actions taken by the company, such as sending out promotional emails, are not necessarily actions of leadership, but actions taken by management. However, others will argue that the actions are in fact a demonstration of leadership.
As Bezos has become more visible as a public figure, his brand has started to get tarnished, with critics claiming that some of his actions have been over-the-top. It has been said that he has gone to extremes, and that is the definition of being a leader, some have claimed. A couple of other claims have been made as well, such as that he has not been a good CEO or even a good leader. Whatever definition you decide to use, Bezos and Amazon are here to stay.
In addition, some analysts say that Bezos would not make a good president of the United States. He is notoriously independent and does not care about politics. Some observers say that it would be hard for him to get anything done in Washington, and others point out that it is extremely difficult to run a large corporation without the political connections. Yet, others say that he has and can continue to lead, the company and that he can run a successful presidential campaign.
Overall, there is a great deal of disagreement about what exactly is leadership, and the two faces of Jeff Bezos. No one can really say, because many people think differently about the very notion of leadership. No matter how you define it, however, you can rest assured that Bezos and Amazon are here to stay. The best thing to do is keep them that way.
