Jeff Bezos - Change Maker

Jeff Bezos, the Founder of Amazon and the richest person on the planet, is also a Change Maker and here's why:

Jeff Bezos' Change Maker Mindset

Just before he set off into space, Jeff was asked how he felt, this was his answer:

"I'm excited and I'm curious... I don't know how it's going to change me but I know it's going to, and I'm excited to find out how."

Excitement and Curiosity are two fundamental elements of a Change Maker Mindset. Being open to anything that may happen and embracing the unknown is key to functioning effectively in the midst of change.

Equally, adopting curiosity as your modus operandi ensures "the different" or "the unusual" doesn't derail you.

Vision of a Change Maker

Some people in the media have attempted to position the whole Blue Origin programme as Jeff Bezos' part in a Billionaires Race Into Space. Certainly, his passion for space flight is shared by Richard Branson and Elon Musk. However, whether they are racing or not, Bezos has apparently spoken of his dream of being an astronaut since he saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon on July 20th 1969. 

52 years to the date, Jeff Bezos followed him into space. His Vision?

"Building a road into space so future generations can do incredible things in space."

Having a clear Vision is a critical Change Maker requirement. If you are going to make change happen, you will need a team and getting them on board will require clarity and enthusiasm. Your Vision will need to sing to their hearts if they are going to commit.

Your Change Maker Team

Nothing meaningful has ever been achieved by one person in complete isolation from the rest of the population. Every invention, every athletic achievement, every academic breakthrough has been the result of a team of people working together. Often, many of the team work tirelessly behind the scenes whilst the figurehead hogs the spotlight.

Jeff Bezos' team on-board Blue Origin were a special crew. First his brother Mark Bezos who must have held the same dream for a lifetime too. Then an 82 year old, Wally Funk, who had worked and trained alongside her fellow astronauts for years only to be disqualified by NASA on the basis of her gender. She became the oldest person to ever go into space.

Alongside her was Oliver Daemen who, at 18, became the youngest traveller into space.

Of course, on the ground the team was even bigger, with the company now employing 3500 people.

Engage Don't Just Communicate

One of the things many high profile Change Makers do is communicate effectively. In short, this means they don't just tell people what they are doing.

Instead, they organise media events and the goto structure is always Question and Answer. This style draws the audience in and engages them on a level that slides just don't.

How are you communicating your proposed changes? Is it a broadcast? Is it an email? Or is it a dialogue, an exploration, an assessment which will lead to some co-created changes? The difference is as clear as the outcomes you'll achieve.

If you'd like to know more about the attributes of a Change Maker and how (with my team at The Change Maker Group) we can help you develop Change Makers across your organisation, just drop me a note and I'll get back to you.

Contact Simon