Amazon interviews are unique. While other tech companies focus primarily on technical skills, Amazon weighs behavioral questions equally — sometimes even more heavily. At the core of every Amazon interview is their famous Leadership Principles (LPs).
In this guide, we'll break down each Leadership Principle, show you how to prepare stories for each one, and give you sample questions with answer frameworks.
Why Leadership Principles Matter So Much
Every Amazon interviewer is trained to evaluate candidates against the Leadership Principles. Each interviewer in your loop is assigned 2-3 specific LPs to assess. Your answers must demonstrate these principles with concrete, specific examples from your past.
Generic answers fail. "I'm a hard worker" or "I care about customers" won't cut it. You need detailed stories with measurable outcomes.
The 16 Leadership Principles Explained
1. Customer Obsession
Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer.
2. Ownership
Leaders are owners. They think long term and don't sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you took on something outside your area of responsibility.
3. Invent and Simplify
Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you simplified a complex process.
4. Are Right, A Lot
Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.
Sample question: Tell me about a time your judgment proved to be correct despite others disagreeing.
5. Learn and Be Curious
Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you learned something new that helped you in your role.
6. Hire and Develop the Best
Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent and willingly move them throughout the organization.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you mentored someone or helped them grow.
7. Insist on the Highest Standards
Leaders have relentlessly high standards — many people may think these standards are unreasonably high.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you refused to compromise on quality.
8. Think Big
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you proposed a bold idea that others thought was too ambitious.
9. Bias for Action
Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you made a decision quickly without having all the information.
10. Frugality
Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you achieved something significant with limited resources.
11. Earn Trust
Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you had to rebuild trust with someone.
12. Dive Deep
Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you had to dig deep into data to find a root cause.
13. Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit
Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager or team.
14. Deliver Results
Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you delivered a project under a tight deadline.
15. Strive to be Earth's Best Employer
Leaders work every day to create a safer, more productive, more diverse, and more just work environment.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you helped create a better work environment for your team.
16. Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility
Leaders create more than they consume and always leave things better than how they found them.
Sample question: Tell me about a time you considered the broader impact of your work.
How to Prepare Your STAR Stories
For each Leadership Principle, prepare 2-3 stories using the STAR method:
- Situation: Set the context briefly (1-2 sentences)
- Task: Explain your responsibility
- Action: Describe what YOU did specifically (60% of your answer)
- Result: Share the outcome with metrics when possible
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Using "we" instead of "I" — focus on YOUR contributions
- ❌ Giving hypothetical answers instead of real examples
- ❌ Forgetting to mention the result or impact
- ❌ Being too vague — use specific details and numbers
- ❌ Not preparing enough stories — have 2-3 per LP
Final Tips
Practice your stories out loud. Record yourself. Time yourself — aim for 2-3 minutes per story. Be ready for follow-up questions that dig deeper into your examples.
Remember: Amazon interviewers are trained to probe. They'll ask "Tell me more about..." or "What specifically did YOU do?" Have details ready.