Jeff Bezos says “Do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion.” Compromise is not a feature of high-performing organizations. At Amazon, the culture demands honesty, objectivity, and accountability, even when it is uncomfortable.
A main feature of this is having to challenge your peers, your team, or even your leaders. This is expected of everyone.
The challenge with implementing this is that it’s easy to fall back on our evolutionary wiring. In a small village, you survive by getting along. It was a bad idea to sacrifice harmony for the sake of being “right,” unless you are right about a mortal threat to your village.
But modern business not an ancestral village. Our survival does not depend on social cohesion, and if we want to build something exceptional, we have to prioritize performance over popularity.
It’s not a coincidence that some of the highest-performing institutions are environments where sharp debate and high standards are the norm. Great ideas and rigorous execution come from a willingness to enforce high standards, not a tendency to avoid conflict.
And, the truth is that honesty and holding one another to a high standard forges relationships based on real respect. So, not being too concerned with “getting along” can actually lead to strong and healthy relationships.
But this can only happen when you hold the bar high, seek out dissent, and prioritize truth over harmony.
If you want to attract and keep the best talent and build something incredible, you have to create an environment where excellence is expected, recognized, and protected.
