Cider - Shop now
Your audiobook is waiting!
Enjoy a free trial on us
$0.00
  • One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection to keep (you’ll use your first credit now).
  • Unlimited listening on select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
  • $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $20.24
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Colin Bryar (Author, Narrator), Bill Carr (Author, Narrator), Robert Petkoff (Narrator),
4.6 out of 5 stars 3,280 ratings

This program includes a preface read by the authors.

Working Backwards is an insider's breakdown of Amazon's approach to culture, leadership, and best practices from two longtime, top-level Amazon executives.

Colin started at Amazon in 1998; Bill joined in 1999. In Working Backwards, these two long-serving Amazon executives reveal and codify the principles and practices that drive the success of one of the most extraordinary companies the world has ever known. With 27 years of Amazon experience between them, much of it in the early aughts - a period of unmatched innovation that brought products and services including Kindle, Amazon Prime, Amazon Studios, and Amazon Web Services to life - Bryar and Carr offer unprecedented access to the Amazon way as it was refined, articulated, and proven to be repeatable, scalable, and adaptable.

With keen analysis and practical steps for applying it at your own company - no matter the size - the authors illuminate how Amazon’s 14 leadership principles inform decision-making at all levels and reveal how the company’s culture has been defined by four characteristics: customer obsession, long-term thinking, eagerness to invent, and operational excellence. Bryar and Carr explain the set of ground-level practices that ensure these are translated into action and flow through all aspects of the business.

Working Backwards is a practical guidebook and a corporate narrative, filled with the authors’ in-the-room recollections of what “Being Amazonian” is like and how it has affected their personal and professional lives. They demonstrate that success on Amazon’s scale is not achieved by the genius of any single leader, but rather through commitment to and execution of a set of well-defined, rigorously executed principles and practices - shared here for the very first time.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 41 minutes
  2. Author
    Colin Bryar, see all
  3. Narrator
    Bill Carr, see all
  4. Audible release date
    February 9, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Macmillan Audio
  7. ASIN
    B088MFRK1H
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

Read & Listen

Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to Audible audiobook.
Add the audiobook for a reduced price of $7.49 after you get the Kindle book as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 41 minutes
Author Colin Bryar, Bill Carr
Narrator Bill Carr, Colin Bryar, Robert Petkoff
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date February 09, 2021
Publisher Macmillan Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B088MFRK1H
Best Sellers Rank #8,002 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#31 in Systems & Planning
#68 in Small Business & Entrepreneurship
#77 in Business Management (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
3,280 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book informative and well-written, with one review noting it provides a detailed explication of management practices. Moreover, the book offers a fascinating look at Amazon's operations, and customers appreciate its adaptability, with one mentioning it can be scaled to apply to other businesses. Additionally, the writing style is easy to follow, and customers value the learning experience, with one review highlighting its simplified overview of the Working Backwards concept.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

53 customers mention "Insights"53 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and instructive for entrepreneurs, with one customer highlighting its detailed explication of management practices and another noting its valuable lessons through principles and case studies.

"...One is detailed appendices with examples that you can use as models, as well as a timeline to show you what was happening and when...." Read more

"...Bill and Colin have written the best handbook I have seen on how Amazon actually works, and any business leader will benefit from reading it." Read more

"...It presents a panoply of principles and processes that Amazon honed over many years by trial and error, and which have contributed to Amazon's..." Read more

"It was great understanding the basic principles of learning how and what makes Amazon so successful but that's where the book struggles, in the..." Read more

41 customers mention "Readability"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and insightful, with one customer noting it's particularly valuable for thoughtful business owners.

"...and mechanisms plus any other chapter in the first section are worth the price of the book several times over...." Read more

"...this is the result of an incredibly well-designed and engineered approach to building value by enabling and empowering teams, focusing on serving..." Read more

"...This is a good read for the thoughtful business owner. Someone who really wants to make a deep long lasting change in their business...." Read more

"...It was interesting to say the least and gave me a feel for the "customer centric" approach to business...." Read more

23 customers mention "Writing style"23 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-detailed and easy to read, with one customer noting how it effectively details processes.

"...But what I really enjoyed was there six page executive summary. This was essentially an idea of a press release and FAQs...." Read more

"...I thought the book was organized really well— the Working Backwards principles at the front are useful and interesting and set up the second half of..." Read more

"TLDR: this book describes clearly and concisely practical approaches with sound bases to craft a more effective and impactful organisation...." Read more

"...at Amazon in 2011 and still works there, this was a fascinating behind-the-scenes take on how the leadership principles and mechanisms I use every..." Read more

6 customers mention "Look"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's appearance, with one noting it provides a fascinating look inside Amazon's operations.

"...describe in their powerful book, this is the result of an incredibly well-designed and engineered approach to building value by enabling and..." Read more

"...It is very well-written and provides a really great inside view of Amazon...." Read more

"Much to admire..." Read more

"What it means to be Amazonian : a fascinating look into one of the world’s most important companies..." Read more

4 customers mention "Adaptability"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's adaptability, with one customer noting it can be scaled to apply to other businesses, while another mentions it can be applied to many types of organizations.

"...They’re adaptable to most businesses regardless of size or industry...." Read more

"...these principles and processes, to varying degrees, can be scaled to apply to other businesses -- from start-ups to large businesses -- across..." Read more

"...the success that it is, and in a way that's easily adapted to almost any business or domain...." Read more

"...to provide an understanding as to how they can be applied to many types of organizations, both large and small...." Read more

4 customers mention "Learning style"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the learning style of the book, with one mentioning it provides a simplified overview of the concept of Working Backwards.

"...thought the book was organized really well— the Working Backwards principles at the front are useful and interesting and set up the second half of..." Read more

"...to match the practices of another company, Working Backwards describes clear and specific processes and mechanisms that can be adopted by leaders..." Read more

"Working Backwards is an excellent book for anyone looking to better their understanding of the importance of starting with the Customer in any..." Read more

"Working Backwards is a great book...." Read more

This Book Resonated for Me - Now I work at Amazon.
5 out of 5 stars
This Book Resonated for Me - Now I work at Amazon.
As I read this book, I got more and more energized by the concepts, principles and processes described in this book. The idea of working backward from the customer is exactly the right way to do it. Working backward from the outcome increases your chance of success. Being transparent in all activities, and basing decisions on data and not opinions is smart. I was starting to think I should try to do the same at my current employer (another Big Tech company). Then it hit me. If the Working Backward culture is a great fit for me, I should just go work at Amazon. So that is what I did. Everything described in the book is accurate and used within Amazon...and I love it. Now I have a great view of the Space Needle.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Wally Bock
    5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic and practical review of what Amazon did and does to achieve success
    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    In my lifetime there has always been one company that was held up as the paragon of all that is good and innovative in business. We were supposed to emulate that company. GM was first, followed by IBM, then by GE. Now it's Amazon's turn. If you’re seeking insight into what made Amazon successful so far, you’ll love this book. There are many examples and things you can try regardless of the business you’re in.

    But this book is different from most books about what to copy from great companies. It tells you about the background of Amazon’s best practices. You’ll learn why Amazon adopted them and follow the sometimes-tedious process of development. You’ll discover why some lauded practices (e.g., two-pizza teams) have been superseded.

    Working Backwards does not turn Jeff Bezos into an all-wise, infallible business saint either. That’s important because it allows you to appreciate the role teams can play in developing processes. It’s also evidence that you don’t need a Jeff Bezos to succeed.

    Colin Bryar joined Amazon in 1998 and spent twelve years there. Most relevant for this book, for two years he was Jeff Bezos’ chief of staff. Bill Carr joined Amazon in 1999 and spent more than fifteen years there. He and his teams launched and managed the company’s global digital music and video businesses. The result is a true “view from inside.”

    The book is divided into two parts. The first, “Being Amazonian,” is about foundational principles and practices and Amazon culture. Jeff Bezos described the culture this way.

    “Our culture is four things: customer obsession instead of competitor obsession; willingness to think long term, with a longer investment horizon than most of our peers; eagerness to invent, which of course goes hand in hand with failure; and then, finally, taking professional pride in operational excellence.”

    That’s basic, but not operational. This section also goes into detail on Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles and several operating practices. This will be the most helpful part of the book for most readers. You’ll get ideas on how to hire more effectively, why some team practices work and others don’t, and why Amazon relies on the written word to develop and communicate ideas.

    You’ll discover why Amazon uses leading indicators to manage performance. There’s a chapter on the principle of “working backwards” that is so important, that the authors chose it for the title of the book. They describe it this way.

    “Working Backwards is a systematic way to vet ideas and create new products. Its key tenet is to start by defining the customer experience, then iteratively work backwards from that point until the team achieves clarity of thought around what to build.”

    Working backwards is one of those “simple but not easy” ideas. The good news is the authors go into detail on the process and tools Amazon uses to make it happen. They’re adaptable to most businesses regardless of size or industry.

    The chapter on leadership principles and mechanisms plus any other chapter in the first section are worth the price of the book several times over.

    Part 2 is “The Invention Machine at Work.” Chapters describe the development of Kindle, Prime, Prime Video, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Each chapter is an example of how the principles and practices outlined in Part 1 guided product development in a real situation.

    Praise to whoever is responsible for two devices that make this book more helpful. One is detailed appendices with examples that you can use as models, as well as a timeline to show you what was happening and when. The other is the practice of beginning each chapter with a short overview of what you’ll find in it.

    In a Nutshell

    Any business reader will benefit from reading Working Backwards, applying the principles, and adapting the practices Amazon uses so successfully.
    14 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Anthony J. Bay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Working Backwards deserves to be on the short list of business books that matter
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    During my career, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to serve in senior leadership roles at leading tech companies including Microsoft and Apple. I also had the good fortune to be recruited by Bill to join Amazon when he led the company’s digital music and video businesses and the honor to be part of that amazing team and journey. Bill epitomizes everything that is great about Amazon and I am very pleased that he and Colin have invested the time and effort to create this book to share their learning and experience for the benefit of others. Working Backwards deserves to be on a shortlist of business books that matter.

    Amazon’s culture is remarkable, and Amazon is undoubtedly one of the best-run companies in the world. As Bill and Colin describe in their powerful book, this is the result of an incredibly well-designed and engineered approach to building value by enabling and empowering teams, focusing on serving customers with a long-term view, and being relentless in that pursuit. Building such a culture is challenging for any company but doing so at the scale and breadth of Amazon is nothing short of incredible. This culture and customer focus have fundamentally changed the world in so many ways and raised the bar for all companies in terms of how customers now expect to be treated.

    Many companies admire and seek to learn from and implement many aspects of Amazon’s approach. Bill and Colin have written the best handbook I have seen on how Amazon actually works, and any business leader will benefit from reading it.
    20 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • John Vance
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good for business owners who want to be Amazonian
    Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this book. It’s a little bit more academic and a description of the Amazon journey. But what I really enjoyed was there six page executive summary. This was essentially an idea of a press release and FAQs. They love the concept of abolishing PowerPoint slides. This is a good read for the thoughtful business owner. Someone who really wants to make a deep long lasting change in their business. Because I believe trying to be Amazonian is extremely hard work.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Brian R.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, thoughtful, & informative book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book on several levels. If you are an entrepreneur or business leader (or student of business), it is a "must read" -- and I say that having read many books about successful businesses as well as high profile business failures (eg, Long Term Capital Management, Enron, Theranos, etc). It presents a panoply of principles and processes that Amazon honed over many years by trial and error, and which have contributed to Amazon's tremendous success. Importantly, these principles and processes, to varying degrees, can be scaled to apply to other businesses -- from start-ups to large businesses -- across industries. Some of these principles are not intuitive, or even somewhat counter-intuitive, such as Amazon's decision to ban use of PowerPoint presentations and insist on using (seemingly tedious) 6 page narratives for presenting and evaluating prospective new ventures or products. The authors do a great job using concrete examples of how the principles and processes worked in practice at Amazon, and how they could work in other contexts as well. These examples are presented through the lens of each authors unique experience at Amazon, with many interesting and often humorous anecdotes that bring life to the book, insight into one of the world's most innovative companies, and make Working Backwards much more than just a "business" book. Anyone who is curious about Amazon -- or who wants a voyeuristic "peek" into what it would be like to work with Jeff Bezos and within Amazon's senior leadership team -- will enjoy this book.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Amazon Customer
    1.0 out of 5 stars Damaged / Dañado
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 8, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The media could not be loaded.

    Customer image
    Amazon Customer
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Damaged / Dañado

    Reviewed in Mexico on November 8, 2021

    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Report
  • C C
    5.0 out of 5 stars Culture drives everything
    Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Basically it describes the Amazonian culture as the foundation stones for the success of the company within going into lots of technical so as to make it easily readable. Great work!
    Report
  • vikrant bakshi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling and inspiring
    Reviewed in India on March 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Fantastic book , easy to read , well structured and very inspiring
    Report
  • ギラギラ
    1.0 out of 5 stars 不良品
    Reviewed in Japan on February 4, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    こんな新品、ショップでは買わないですよね。アマゾンのデポの商品なので憤慨です。
    Customer image
    ギラギラ
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    不良品

    Reviewed in Japan on February 4, 2022
    こんな新品、ショップでは買わないですよね。アマゾンのデポの商品なので憤慨です。
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Report
  • Laura Ann
    5.0 out of 5 stars Already using some of the tips and kicking goals at work
    Reviewed in Australia on May 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    So interesting, lots of useful insight into running projects and teams efficiently and effectively. Highly recommend this book.
    Report