Tag Archives: Amazon
Engineering Layoffs = More Free Cash Flow
In which I think the findings that 40% of the recent Amazon layoffs further supports the hypothesis that Amazon wants Free Cash Flow to get cash-in-hand, and is willing to risk scaling and/or features for Q4 to get it. Continue reading
About What Andy Said…
Where I discuss “a culture of and,” why Amazon’s leadership principles create that culture, and asking why Andy Jassy creating a culture of or. Continue reading
You Gotta Do What Makes You Happy
Where I discuss the importance of pursuing personal happiness in work, what it means to be happy, and why you should help people be happy. Leaders check in with their team, because unhappy people are less productive. Perseverance is vital for growth, but leaders need to listen and help solve issues with compassion. Continue reading
Fixers vs. Enablers
In which I discuss the difference between “fixers,” who intervene at any sign of trouble, to “enablers,” who encourage and enable their teams to solve the problems themselves. Both extremes are bad, but understanding where you are, and where your boss is, on this spectrum helps manage expectations. Continue reading
A Slightly Wonky Follow-up on Pay, After the “Talent is a Power Curve” Post
Where I compare Amazon’s pay structure against the fact that talent is a power curve. Is it possible that Amazon was trying to model the curve? Or are Amazon’s compensation ranges not adequately reflecting differences in performance? While I don’t have an answer, the question itself has interesting implications. Continue reading
Amazon’s Compensation Targets Exploit the Promotion Process and Pay Below Industry Rates
In which I review Amazon’s new compensation targets. This structure discourages promotion due to forcing newly-promoted people into the range minimum for 1-2 years, while insisting they perform at the next highest level for 2-4 years before they’re promoted. It also potentially places 80% of all employees at or below the midpoint for their level. Continue reading
Talent is a Power Curve, or Why Employee Top Grading is Driven by Bias
In which I discuss how talent distribution follows a power curve rather than a Gaussian “bell” curve, making it difficult to differentiate low performers. It critiques Amazon’s stack ranking policies, which ultimately lead to bias becoming the determining factor for who gets performance management. Continue reading
Amazon’s RTO SNAFU
Where I discuss Amazon’s RTO (return-to-office) mandate, and their inability to communicate any data-driven or evidence-based decision making. Continue reading
Leaving Amazon
The first post I made on LinkedIn was my goodbye post, announcing that I was leaving Amazon, with a few comments as to why. I was surprised when it got nearly 250,000 impressions, over 1,500 reactions, and 150 comments. It’s … Continue reading
