Jeff Bezos’ advice for bosses who are leading meetings: Talk last

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Jeff Bezos is the third richest man in the world. He founded bookstore-turned-e-commerce behemoth and recently traveled to space on a rocket built by his own company, Blue Origin. And last year, he vowed to give away most of his fortune, which totals around $120 billion.

So when it comes to business advice, Bezos have a thing or two to say. And his long-time girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, recently revealed one of his top tips for managers: When they’re holding a meeting, they should always talk last. The reason? So no one else in the room will be influenced by the boss’s opinion, she told the Wall Street Journal in an interview Wednesday. 

He also advised Sánchez that meetings should be kept within an hour if possible, and the person conducting the meeting should create a memo that’s no more than six pages on what they plan to cover.  

Bezos is known for his unique style of leadership: He has been described as “relentless” by past employees, and famously said at a talk many years ago that “good leaders are right a lot.” 

“Living with Jeff is like having a master class every day. What he’s really taught me a lot about is management,” Sánchez says.

The relationship between Bezos and Sánchez was made public in January 2019. The two were married to different people when they met. Sánchez, a pilot, revealed that the pair bonded while on helicopter rides.

Before Sánchez began flying, she was an on-air host for several TV shows, including Good Day LA. . She is currently working on a children’s book, Flynn, The Fly Who Flew and growing her involvement with a new production company, Adventure & Fellowship. 

The couple gave a $100 million grant to Dolly Parton through the Bezos Award for Courage & Civility in 2021 to be donated to various charities. They have also supported causes related to climate change and family rehabilitation.

Bezos stepped down as Amazon’s CEO in February 2021, taking on the role as executive chair of the company’s board. 

In the interview with the Journal, Sánchez spoke about her plans to go to space with an all-female crew on a Blue Origin spacecraft by 2024. 

“It’s going to be women who are making a difference in the world and who are impactful and have a message to send,” she said.