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.

45:32

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Episode guests

John Rossman

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Amazon's operational culture thrives on data-driven decision-making, rigorous debate, and a focus on both customer and merchant experiences for sustained growth.

Jeff Bezos's 'Day One' philosophy encourages leaders to prioritize innovation and long-term goals over short-term gains to avoid organizational stagnation.

Deep dives

The Early Days at Amazon

Working at Amazon during its formative years was a unique experience that revolved around launching the marketplace business. The focus was not only on customer experience but also on optimizing the merchant experience, which became a crucial component of their platform strategy. During this period, the company was still figuring out how to generate sustainable profits and faced considerable skepticism from both inside and outside its ranks. This environment fostered a culture of thorough analysis and operational accountability, leading to the development of the Amazon leadership principles that guide its operations today.

Intro

2min

Leadership Lessons from Amazon

16min

Leading in a Digital Age

6min

Embracing 'Day One' Mindsets

12min

Disagree and Commit: Fostering Open Dialogue

8min

Striving for Greatness and Leadership Insights

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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McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf

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