A passion for product. Constant curiosity. And a great sense of humor.
These are some of the leadership qualities exhibited by two of the “greatest founders in history”: Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
Former Amazon and Facebook exec Dan Rose shared a tweet thread highlighting his experience and takeaways from working with the two tech titans. Rose worked under Bezos as an early member of the Kindle team at Amazon. He also later spent 12 years at Facebook and now runs a VC firm called Coatue Management.
They both lived in the future and saw around corners, always thinking years/decades ahead. And at the same time, they were both obsessive over the tiniest product and design details. They could go from 30,000 feet to 3 feet in a split second.
— Dan Rose (@DanRose999) February 18, 2021
Rose said both execs are “incredibly deep thinkers and read voraciously,” noting that great leaders have “deep-seated curiosity.”
While they share similarities, Bezos and Zuckerberg also have different personalities, Rose noted. “Jeff is gregarious with his big laugh and well-honed stories. Mark is more quiet, gracious, kind; sometimes a bit awkward but always authentic,” he said. “When Jeff is unhappy he will throw you out of the room; Mark simply ends the meeting.”
Even with the varying leadership approaches and contrasting cultures at their respective companies, both garnered profound loyalty from their senior leaders. “When you get to learn from one of the greatest, it’s hard to leave,” Rose wrote.
