Amazon's 14 Leadership Principles: How to Ace the Behavioral Interview

Amazon's behavioral interview is unlike any other in big tech. While Google and Meta ask a few behavioral questions mixed with technical rounds, Amazon dedicates an entire interview loop round — sometimes two — exclusively to Leadership Principles (LPs). Your technical skills get you to the interview. Your LP responses determine whether you get the offer. Candidates who prepare technically but neglect behavioral preparation fail at Amazon at a rate that surprises everyone except Amazon interviewers.

Amazon has 16 Leadership Principles, though interviews typically focus on 10-12 core principles. Each interviewer is assigned 2-3 principles to evaluate and will ask targeted questions designed to reveal your alignment. The most commonly tested principles are Customer Obsession, Ownership, Bias for Action, Earn Trust, Dive Deep, and Deliver Results. Preparing stories for all 16 is ideal, but mastering these six covers the majority of interview scenarios.

Customer Obsession is Amazon's first and most important principle. "Leaders start with the customer and work backwards." Interview questions target whether you prioritize customer outcomes over internal metrics, political considerations, or personal convenience. Example question: "Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer even when it was not the most efficient path." Your story should demonstrate that you identified a customer need, took initiative to address it, and measured the customer outcome — not just the business metric.

Ownership means "Leaders act on behalf of the entire company. They never say 'that is not my job.'" Questions test whether you take responsibility beyond your defined role. Example: "Tell me about a time you identified a problem outside your area of responsibility and took action." Strong responses show you noticed something broken, took initiative without being asked, and saw it through to resolution — even when it was inconvenient or outside your comfort zone.

Bias for Action values speed over perfection. "Many decisions are reversible and do not need extensive study." Questions target your ability to make decisions with incomplete information and your comfort with calculated risk. Example: "Tell me about a time you made a decision without having all the data you wanted." The ideal response shows you assessed available information, identified the decision as reversible, acted quickly, and adjusted course based on results.