Introduction to Andy Jassy’s Leadership

When Andy Jassy succeeded Jeff Bezos as CEO of Amazon, in 2021, he stepped into one of the most scrutinized leadership roles in business. Yet under Jassy’s leadership, Amazon has not only sustained its momentum but accelerated. According to the company, revenues have grown by more than $230 billion during his four-year tenure, and it has made significant leaps in its delivery capabilities and use of AI.

Leading at Scale

In a wide-ranging conversation with HBR editor at large Adi Ignatius, Jassy reflects on what it takes to lead at scale. He discusses the importance of maintaining a customer-obsessed culture, even as the company grows and expands into new areas. Jassy also emphasizes the need for leaders to be willing to take risks and experiment with new ideas, in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Encouraging Risk-Taking

Jassy believes that encouraging risk-taking is essential for driving innovation and growth. He notes that Amazon’s culture of experimentation and willingness to take risks has allowed the company to make significant advances in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. By giving employees the freedom to try new things and learn from their mistakes, Jassy aims to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the company.

Embracing AI

Jassy also discusses the importance of finding smart ways to embrace AI and other emerging technologies. He notes that Amazon has made significant investments in AI research and development, and is using machine learning algorithms to improve everything from customer service to supply chain management. By leveraging AI and other technologies, Jassy believes that Amazon can continue to drive growth and innovation, while also improving the customer experience.

Reinventing Corporate Culture

In addition to driving growth and innovation, Jassy is also focused on reinventing Amazon’s corporate culture. With more than a million employees, Amazon is one of the largest employers in the world, and Jassy recognizes the need to create a culture that is inclusive, diverse, and supportive of all employees. He notes that Amazon has made significant progress in areas such as diversity and inclusion, but acknowledges that there is still more work to be done.

Conclusion

Under Andy Jassy’s leadership, Amazon has continued to thrive and innovate. By emphasizing the importance of customer obsession, risk-taking, and innovation, Jassy has helped to drive growth and expansion at the company. As Amazon continues to evolve and grow, it will be interesting to see how Jassy’s leadership style and vision for the company shape its future.

FAQs

Q: What is Andy Jassy’s background and experience?
A: Andy Jassy is a veteran Amazon executive who previously led the company’s cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services.
Q: What are some of the key challenges facing Amazon under Jassy’s leadership?
A: Some of the key challenges facing Amazon include maintaining a customer-obsessed culture, driving innovation and growth, and navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Q: How is Amazon using AI and other emerging technologies?
A: Amazon is using AI and other emerging technologies to improve everything from customer service to supply chain management, and is making significant investments in AI research and development.
Q: What is Jassy’s vision for Amazon’s corporate culture?
A: Jassy is focused on creating a culture that is inclusive, diverse, and supportive of all employees, and has made significant progress in areas such as diversity and inclusion.

Over the past year, organizations large and small have been forcing their employees to return to the office for the entire workweek. They are responding to growing evidence that remote and hybrid arrangements result in lower worker performance. But many companies don’t have that option, for several reasons: They no longer have the office space to house all their employees and either can’t quickly expand it or don’t want to spend the money to do so; their employees are now dispersed geographically; or they fear a rebellion by hard-to-replace talent. This article is aimed at enterprises that want to keep remote or hybrid work arrangements, at least for the time being.

The Impact of Remote Work on Collaboration and Culture

Evidence suggests that remote work is hurting collaboration, exacerbating social isolation, and weakening culture. This is a significant challenge for organizations that rely on teamwork and innovation to drive their businesses forward. When employees are not physically present in the office, they can miss out on important conversations, meetings, and social interactions that help to build relationships and trust. Furthermore, remote work can make it difficult for new employees to integrate into the team and for leaders to build a strong, cohesive culture.

Weakening of Company Culture

Company culture is often built on shared experiences, traditions, and values that are developed and reinforced through in-person interactions. When employees are remote, they can feel disconnected from the company culture, which can lead to a sense of disengagement and disloyalty. Moreover, remote work can make it challenging for leaders to communicate the company’s vision, mission, and values in a way that resonates with employees.

Exacerbating Social Isolation

Remote work can also exacerbate social isolation, which is a growing concern in today’s society. When employees are isolated from their colleagues and friends, they can experience feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. This can have serious consequences for their mental and physical health, as well as their productivity and job satisfaction.

Strategies for Fixing the Challenges of Remote Work

Despite the challenges of remote work, there are several strategies that organizations can use to mitigate its negative effects. These include:

Implementing Regular Check-Ins and Virtual Meetings

Regular check-ins and virtual meetings can help to facilitate communication, collaboration, and social interaction among remote employees. These meetings can be used to discuss projects, share ideas, and build relationships. Moreover, they can help to reduce feelings of isolation and disconnection.

Creating Virtual Social Spaces

Creating virtual social spaces, such as online forums, chat rooms, and social media groups, can help to facilitate social interaction and community-building among remote employees. These spaces can be used to share personal updates, ask for advice, and connect with colleagues who share similar interests.

Fostering a Sense of Community and Belonging

Fostering a sense of community and belonging is critical for remote employees who may feel disconnected from the company culture. This can be achieved by creating opportunities for remote employees to connect with each other, such as virtual team-building activities, online mentorship programs, and social events.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while remote work presents several challenges, including hurting collaboration, exacerbating social isolation, and weakening culture, there are several strategies that organizations can use to mitigate its negative effects. By implementing regular check-ins and virtual meetings, creating virtual social spaces, and fostering a sense of community and belonging, organizations can help to build a strong, cohesive culture that supports remote employees. With the right strategies and tools, remote work can be a successful and sustainable way of working that benefits both employees and employers.

FAQs

Q: What are the main challenges of remote work?
A: The main challenges of remote work include hurting collaboration, exacerbating social isolation, and weakening culture.
Q: How can organizations mitigate the negative effects of remote work?
A: Organizations can mitigate the negative effects of remote work by implementing regular check-ins and virtual meetings, creating virtual social spaces, and fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Q: What are the benefits of remote work?
A: The benefits of remote work include increased flexibility, improved work-life balance, and reduced commuting time.
Q: How can remote employees stay connected with their colleagues and build relationships?
A: Remote employees can stay connected with their colleagues and build relationships by participating in virtual meetings, joining online forums and social media groups, and engaging in virtual team-building activities.
Q: What role do leaders play in building a strong company culture in a remote work environment?
A: Leaders play a critical role in building a strong company culture in a remote work environment by communicating the company’s vision, mission, and values, fostering a sense of community and belonging, and providing opportunities for remote employees to connect with each other.

In every workplace, there are things left unsaid.

An employee notices a process that’s clearly inefficient—but doesn’t mention it. A junior team member has a great idea during a meeting—but keeps quiet. A new hire experiences subtle exclusion—but worries speaking up will make them seem “difficult.”

These aren’t isolated moments. They’re signs of a culture where psychological safety is missing—and it’s more common than most leaders realize.

Psychological safety is the belief that you can speak up, offer ideas, ask questions, or admit mistakes without fear of humiliation or punishment. When it’s missing, innovation stalls, teams disconnect, and people stop showing up as their full selves.

And in 2025, with hybrid teams, rising burnout, and Gen Z entering the workforce with higher expectations for transparency and equity, the cost of silence is too high to ignore.

What Makes Employees Stay Silent

The fear of speaking up doesn’t always come from one toxic manager or a dramatic workplace incident. It often builds slowly through culture cues and past experiences. Employees might stay quiet because:

They’ve seen others get dismissed, ignored, or punished for giving feedback
They worry that being honest will affect their performance reviews or job security
They’re in an environment where leadership always “has the final word”
They’ve been conditioned to believe that fitting in is safer than standing out
They come from marginalized backgrounds and don’t feel represented in decision-making spaces

In short: people don’t speak up when they don’t feel safe—and safety is a leadership responsibility.

The Hidden Cost of Silence

Companies often talk about innovation, collaboration, and inclusion. But those values can’t exist without psychological safety. A quiet workplace isn’t always a peaceful one—it can be a warning sign of disengagement, fear, or resignation.

When employees don’t feel safe to speak up, it can lead to:

Missed opportunities for creative problem-solving
Unreported mistakes or risks that spiral into bigger issues
Lower engagement and job satisfaction
High turnover, especially among underrepresented employees
Shallow collaboration where only surface-level ideas get shared

In contrast, research by Google’s Project Aristotle showed that psychological safety was the number one factor in high-performing teams—more important than seniority, skillset, or experience.

What Safety Actually Looks Like

Creating psychological safety doesn’t mean there are no boundaries or accountability. It means people feel supported and trusted to bring their full selves to work. Here’s what it looks like in action:

Leaders who admit when they don’t have all the answers
Managers who ask for feedback—and take it seriously
Teams where people interrupt bias or exclusion without fear of backlash
Processes that invite honest reflection, not just praise
Colleagues who respond with curiosity, not criticism, when someone shares a new idea

It’s not about making work comfortable all the time—it’s about making it safe to take interpersonal risks.

Micro-Actions That Build Safety

The good news is, psychological safety isn’t just built in large company-wide trainings. It’s built moment by moment, conversation by conversation. Here are five small actions leaders and team members can start practicing today:

1. Say “thank you for sharing” when someone gives critical feedback, even if it stings

2. Begin meetings with check-ins to invite real presence, not just performance

3. Acknowledge and credit ideas, especially from quieter or junior team members

4. Respond to mistakes with problem-solving energy, not blame

5. Reflect on your own behavior—what signals are you giving others about what’s safe to say?

When safety becomes a shared practice, not just a policy, teams become more honest, creative, and resilient.

What Employees Can Do, Too

While leadership sets the tone, every employee plays a role in shaping culture. If you’re in a space where speaking up feels risky, consider starting small.

Use curiosity as your entry point—ask questions, suggest ideas, or name your intent when you offer feedback. You might say, “I want to share something that could help us improve, even if it’s a little uncomfortable,” or “This might be off-base, but I think it’s worth exploring.”

Also, seek out allies—colleagues or mentors who value open dialogue and can amplify your voice when needed.

You shouldn’t have to fight for safety—but knowing how to navigate power dynamics with intention can help you stay grounded while advocating for better.

Rethinking What Strong Culture Means

At some companies, “strong culture” has meant tight-knit, high-performing teams that don’t rock the boat. But the strongest cultures in 2025 are the ones where people can challenge the status quo without fear.

It’s no longer about whether employees “fit in.” It’s about whether they can show up fully, speak honestly, and feel valued for it.

So the next time a meeting ends in silence or a good idea gets brushed aside, pay attention. Because what goes unspoken often speaks volumes.