Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Taking control of your career | Ethan Evans (Amazon)

543 snips

Jan 14, 2024

Ethan Evans, former VP at Amazon and creator of popular products like Prime Video, shares valuable career insights. He introduces the 'Magic Loop' framework, a five-step strategy for professional growth. Ethan discusses overcoming career plateaus and cultivating inventiveness in your work. He also offers advice on acing virtual interviews and highlights the importance of rapid decision-making. Personal stories, including a lesson learned from failing Jeff Bezos, add a relatable twist to his journey and advice on building trust in the workplace.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

The Magic Loop

Do your current job well and ask your boss how you can help.
Do what they ask, even if it's not glamorous, then ask to help in a way that also benefits your career goals.

INSIGHT

Why the Magic Loop Works

Many managers have good intentions but get busy with their own work and careers.
The Magic Loop empowers employees to take control of their career growth, even with less attentive managers.

ANECDOTE

Magic Loop Success Stories

One person used the Magic Loop, received a $30,000 raise, and then got an even better offer elsewhere.
Another grew from mid-level engineer to director at Amazon using this framework.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Working Backwards

Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon

Colin Bryar

Bill Carr

Working Backwards provides a detailed look at Amazon's approach to culture, leadership, and innovation. The book is written by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr, who collectively have 27 years of experience at Amazon. It outlines the company's 14 leadership principles and how they are applied in practice, focusing on customer obsession, long-term thinking, and operational excellence. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains the leadership principles and practices, while the second part includes case studies on the development of products like Kindle, Amazon Prime, and Amazon Web Services. The authors provide practical steps and insights that can be applied to any business, regardless of size or industry[2][4][5].

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

A Guide to Wealth and Happiness

Naval Ravikant

Eric Jorgenson

Tim Ferriss

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a compilation of Naval's thoughts on fundamental principles for happiness, wealth creation, decision-making, and personal growth. The book distills his insights from the last ten years into practical advice, guiding readers on how to walk their own unique path toward a happier, wealthier life. It emphasizes the importance of compound interest, leveraging resources, and productizing oneself. The book also delves into key aspects of life, including relationships, health, and purpose, offering a holistic approach to wealth and happiness.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There

Marshall Goldsmith

This book by Marshall Goldsmith focuses on helping successful individuals recognize and change the behavioral habits that are holding them back from achieving even greater success. Goldsmith identifies 20 common bad habits, such as speaking when angry or adding too much value, and provides a systematic approach to changing these behaviors. He emphasizes that it is not technical skills but behavioral changes that separate the great from the rest. The book offers practical advice on how to eliminate these dysfunctions and improve interpersonal relationships, which is crucial for advancing in one's career and personal life.

Leadership and Self Deception

Dick Ruhe

The Arbinger Institute

Decisive

How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

Chip Heath

Dan Heath

In 'Decisive', Chip and Dan Heath address the critical topic of decision-making, highlighting the biases and irrationalities that disrupt our choices. The book introduces a four-step process—WRAP (Widen your options, Reality-test your assumptions, Attain distance before deciding, Prepare to be wrong)—designed to counteract these biases. Through engaging stories and practical tools, the Heaths provide strategies to stop agonizing over decisions, make group decisions without destructive politics, and ensure that valuable opportunities are not overlooked.