The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving

488: How to "Think Like Amazon" with John Rossman

Oct 2, 2024

John Rossman, a former Amazon executive who helped launch the Amazon Marketplace, shares insights from his book, *Think Like Amazon*. He discusses the cultural shifts at Amazon, emphasizing a data-driven approach and the importance of a 'Day One' mindset to foster innovation. Rossman highlights the leadership principle of 'disagree and commit' to promote constructive dialogue. He also stresses the need for organizations to embrace customer obsession and agility to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Leadership Lessons from Amazon

01:48 • 16min

Leading in a Digital Age

17:59 • 6min

Embracing 'Day One' Mindsets

23:36 • 12min

Disagree and Commit: Fostering Open Dialogue

35:09 • 8min

Striving for Greatness and Leadership Insights

42:45 • 2min

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 488, featuring an interview with a seasoned business strategist and operator respected for his pivotal role in Amazon’s early days, John Rossman. In John’s book, Think Like Amazon, he provides 50 ½ answers drawn from his experience as an Amazon executive―and shows today’s business leaders how to think like Amazon, strategize like Bezos, and beat the competition like nobody’s business.

John Rossman is an author, executive advisor and keynote speaker on digital transformation, leadership, and business reinvention. With a career spanning consulting roles at renowned brands like Novartis, Gates Foundation, Microsoft, Walmart, and T-Mobile, he brings extensive expertise in solving complex business challenges and driving customer-centric solutions. As an early Amazon executive, Rossman played a pivotal role in launching the Amazon Marketplace in 2002, shaping its transformative impact.

Rossman is the author of four influential books on leadership and business innovation, including the bestseller “The Amazon Way” and his recent release “Big Bet Leadership.” He served as senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile and senior technology advisor to the Gates Foundation, where he honed his strategic acumen in driving organizational change and creating enduring enterprise value.

Today, Rossman is a sought-after keynote speaker renowned for his insights into leadership for innovation and transformation. His work emphasizes practical applications of Amazon’s Leadership Principles to foster innovation, drive growth, and navigate digital disruption effectively.

Get John’s book, Think Like Amazon: 50 1/2 Ideas to Become a Digital Leader, here: https://shorturl.at/zyUHR

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