Jeff Bezos Favored Six-Page Memos Over PowerPoint Presentations

Jeff Bezos has described his preferred meeting format at Amazon as a structured discussion built around six-page narrative memos rather than PowerPoint presentations. The approach was designed to ensure participants reviewed the same information before beginning a debate.

Meetings Began With Silent Reading

At the start of what Bezos called a “perfect meeting,” attendees would spend approximately 30 minutes reading the memo in silence. He referred to this period as “study hall.”

The documents were intended to provide the background, analysis and arguments needed for the discussion in a written format. Participants could then focus on evaluating the substance of the proposal rather than receiving an abbreviated presentation.

Bezos Criticized Slide-Driven Discussions

Bezos said a memo-based format made it more difficult for participants to appear prepared without actually reviewing the material. In his view, slide presentations could allow attendees to “pretend to do the reading,” while a shared reading period required everyone in the room to engage with the document.

After the reading session, the meeting would move into discussion and questions. The process emphasized detailed written reasoning and collective understanding before decisions were considered.

A Written Approach to Decision-Making

The practice reflects Bezos’s broader emphasis on clear written communication at Amazon. Rather than relying primarily on presentation design or verbal summaries, the format required meeting organizers to explain their proposals in a complete and structured narrative.