Rene' Guardiola’s Post

Today is my 10th Anniversary of working at Amazon. When I left the Marine Corp I wasn't quite sure where the next opportunity would be. I was hoping that I would find a place that was inventive, had career growth potential, and valued the experience of veterans. Amazon has delivered on that and much more. Here are 10 lessons I've learned and will pass along. Here's to many more.... 1)     Obsess over the customer experience. 2)     Highly engaged teams mitigate a host of problems. If nothing else, they make work more enjoyable. 3)     Building trust requires extending trust – don’t be afraid to go first. 4)     Most decisions are two-way doors and easily reversible – don’t overthink these. 5)     Come up with the criteria of roles you will quickly accept. Socialize these with your manager and mentors. 6)     Business needs change quickly and the rate of change is increasing, make sure your decision-making processes are built for high velocity decision making; tenets are often useful. 7)     Good intentions don’t work – systems and mechanisms do. 8)     Get good at building effective teams quickly – business changes and personnel moves will require it for sustained success. 9)     To be right more often, be willing to listen and change your mind. 10)  Don’t fight gravity - Focus on what you can control, influence where you can influence, and let go of the things that are neither. 

Yesterday I celebrated my 15th anniversary at Amazon. No idea where the time has gone. Feels like a blink of an eye and a life time at the same time. I love my team, my amazing manager Amy Ruddell, and my job (mainly because of the smart people I work with). That hasn't always been the case, it’s been a ride with ups and down to get here, lost myself in the job at times, but grew more than I ever could imagined. Here’s what I’ve learned to thrive in a high-demanding company:   - Love what you do, or leave it. Life’s too short to do something you hate. - Say yes to opportunities. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Whether you succeed or not, you’ll always expand your mind and skills. - Find as many role models and mentors as possible, there are many people to learn from. - Focus on what makes the biggest impact to your customer, not what/who makes the most noise. Push back on 'busy work'. Deadlines are most often artificial. Escalations are only truly urgent if lives are impacted. - All employees are human, nobody is above or below you, regardless of their level and position. Tread everyone with respect while staying true to your principles and instincts. - You are the owner of your work-life-harmony. Set healthy boundaries. Ask your leadership to help prioritizing, if needed. - You are the owner of your career path. Ask for what you want and need, nothing will be handed to you if you're not clear where to go and how to get there. - A bad manager can not only block your career path but also impact your mental and physical health. Choose a manager who fosters growth, independence, uniqueness and a healthy work climate. - Life is about connections. Care about people around you. Make time to ask them how they are, truly. Most importantly: Don’t lose yourself in your job. Stay holistically happy. Take care of your physical and mental health, have creative hobbies, foster your social connections. If you’re a happy human, you can be a much better employee, too.

This week, I celebrate another year of life and most importantly my one year anniversary with Amazon🎉👷🏻♀️ While I reflect on this amazing experience, I learned so much about managing a team and leading a successful operation. There’s so much to say and so many folks worth acknowledging, but since becoming a manager at Amazon here are a few pointers that I deepened my belief in: 🌼 It’s okay to make mistakes!! Take ownership. No one is perfect at what they do at the start and that is okay. Throughout every mistake, it is critical to remember that making mistakes is part of the learning and growth process. Push through and you will succeed. 🌼 Everyone has a different learning curve!! Managing a team of 100+ Associates may seem overwhelming. Ensuring you find common ground/interests with each individual and building trust amongst your direct reports will lead you to foster a great team. Be genuine from the start. Motivate, recognize, and appreciate your team. Be the manager you would want. 🌼 Set the bar high and be customer obsessed!! I remind myself everyday that I would not be in the position I am in today if it wasn’t for my team. Understanding and balancing there are expectations to be met while catering to my team is something I work on a daily. Let’s be real - While working at a warehouse may not necessarily be the most inviting job as it can be physical and high stress, it can be a thankless job that can go unnoticed. … Someone packed your new headphones that you just received shipping confirmation on Wednesday. … Someone moved that heavy fridge you’ve been wanting since your old fridge broke down. … Someone delivered that plushie that your daughter has been wanting for the past year for her birthday. I want to take the time to thank the following leaders Kevin Tang James F Hagan Adam Carr Jane Ip Joseph Francis Bethel Anne Yumul Alex Tran This is not the end of my success. Cheers to more growth this year. Let’s get it🚀 (Stole these white board pics from Elle McIntires🤭) —— #amazon #success #workanniversary

Yesterday, I celebrated my third Amaversary (Amazon anniversary to the uninitiated). After 1,096 day ones, I continue to learn everyday. Some lessons are harder won than others, but I take them all with me to inform not only what I do, but also who I am. I've had the opportunity to visit various sites of various types, the privilege to meet people from innumerable walks of life, and the joy to work under leaders who "Earn Trust" and also give it in abundance. This doesn't mean that things are always smooth. Tension happens when you encourage everyone from new hires to managers to "Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit," but this is a core ingredient in Amazon's success, and an ethos that has served me well in navigating an environment replete with big changes and strong opinions. The philosophy of Learning at Amazon states, "[We] will view Learning as a culture, not a physical location or as a department in a building," so while I've found my home in Learning as a department, I recognize the best work I do is facilitate people on their journeys and encourage a culture where everyone can "Learn and Be Curious." #AmazonVestLife #DayOne #Amaversary -- If you're wondering why some phrases are camel case and in quotation marks, those are a couple of Amazon's Leadership Principles that guide how we do and see our work at Amazon. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eaH-NH24

Your gratitude and enthusiasm for your time at Amazon shine through every word. It's wonderful to see how you've grown both professionally and personally over these seven years. Your experience highlights several key aspects that make a career truly rewarding: Talented colleagues: Working with highly skilled professionals has clearly been a source of inspiration and learning for you. Impactful work: Being able to tackle big challenges and contribute to meaningful solutions is incredibly fulfilling. Personal growth: The exponential growth you've experienced speaks volumes about the opportunities Amazon has provided and your willingness to seize them. Relationships: The friendships and professional relationships you've built are a testament to the positive work culture you've been part of. Mentorship: Your appreciation for those who have guided you, and your commitment to mentoring others, shows a beautiful cycle of support and growth within the organization.

Today I celebrate my 3 year anniversary at Amazon. While 3 years doesn't seem long, it is a journey. I have grown my skills in so many different ways. Things that I have learned: 1. Strive to be the Earths Best Employer: Myself and my colleague lift each other up and cheer the small wins. It is a privilege to work in such a diverse organization where we celebrate all cultures, colors, and genders. 2. Learn & Be Curious: I have always had this but it is amplified at Amazon. There are so many things to learn and everything changes. My favorite is our curious approach to our partners, customers, and each other. 3. Dive Deep: This was a struggle for me. I always preferred the cliff notes. At Amazon, you can't brush over the details. You have to dive deep and look at everything from all angles. Lastly: I learned to become a more proficient writer. At Amazon you can't hide behind a PPT. You have to write out your thoughts and ideas. Then back it up with data. It is a skill that you have to practice regularly. I challenge everyone to write out your thoughts and ideas. Remove weasel words and get to the point. I want to thank my team: Mohammed Hamididdin, Venkat Pathaneni, Jason Fulford, Tracey Bieser, Bethany Tangredi, Brittany Smith, Bryan Lee, Sean Walsh, Todd Nelson, Jane Lacy, Victoria Thompson, Nancy Trumpet #Amazon #AWS

🎉Today marks my five-year anniversary with Amazon, a transformative and rewarding journey✅. 📌Starting as L1 Associate, I quickly adapted to the fast-paced environment, mastering foundational tasks with dedication and enthusiasm. This drive led to my progression to Operations Assistant, where I began tackling more complex responsibilities and honing my problem-solving skills. 📌As I advanced to L3 and L4, I gained invaluable experience working at different stations and collaborating with diverse teams. These opportunities allowed me to adapt to various cultures and situations, broadening my perspective and enhancing my ability to work effectively in any environment. I focused on optimizing processes, improving efficiency, and learning from every challenge that came my way. 📌Now, as L5 Area Manager in Delivery Operations, my responsibilities include managing daily operations, driving performance metrics, fostering team development, ensuring safety compliance, and enhancing customer satisfaction through timely and accurate delivery. 📌The skills I’ve developed effective communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, I've enhanced my team management, effective communication, critical thinking adaptability, and operational efficiency skills, ensuring smooth and efficient delivery operations while fostering a positive work environment. 📌Each step of my journey has made me stronger and wiser, equipping me with a robust skill set and a deeper understanding of the business. 🤗This five-year milestone is a testament to my growth and dedication. I'm excited to see what the future holds and eager to embrace the new opportunities and challenges that Amazon has for me.

🎉 Celebrating 1 Year at Amazon! 🎉 From sitting in college canteen manifesting, and discussing with friends, just said to them randomly back then. "I will prepare for Amazon". Now here I am, 1 year has just flown💯 It's hard to believe that a whole year has passed by since I joined the incredible team at Amazon.💯💯💯 This journey has been nothing short of amazing, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the valuable lessons I've gained during this time. 💫Customer Obsession: Amazon's relentless focus on customers has left an indelible mark on me. I've learned that understanding and anticipating customer needs is at the heart of innovation and success. 💫Innovation: The culture of innovation here is infectious! I've had the privilege of working on projects that pushed me to think outside the box, constantly challenging the status quo. 💫Continuous Learning: At Amazon, learning never stops. I've been fortunate to have access to resources that have allowed me to upskill and grow both personally and professionally, and it's going in exponential manner🚀. 💫Every day is a new day: Here every new day brings new challenges and tasks on your plates, and how you have to be at your toes to accept it, and deliver it with complete ownership, ultimately leading towards your own self growth. Looking forward to many more exciting years ahead. 🌍💼 Way to go🚀💯 cheers!! #Amazon #OneYearAnniversary #LearningJourney #Gratitude

Being an advocate for celebrating life, today I would like to celebrate this day when I joined Amazon 6 years back. That feeling is still fresh on my mind - entering the office not knowing what I was in for, wearing a company badge for the first time in my life, the feeling of belonging to something important, and thinking to myself "Am I really working for Amazon?!" I used to ask my manager at that time - "Are you really sure you hired ME?" And he would find my questions funny..and respond back saying - "Yes Priyanka we hired YOU, I'm sure about that. We hired you for all the things you bring to the table, and it is time you believe it too!". At that time, in 2017, cloud concepts were not really taught in school so it was new to me. I started learning about the cloud, truly understanding the power and value it brings to customers, and then started sharing my knowledge with my customers, with whom I created such beautiful relationships. I still remember being very excited to go to my customer's office, and they also shared my excitement to have me with them! Of course since the pandemic, those things reduced. But my love for customers and their challenges never stopped growing. When I joined my first team, my manager asked me "So Priyanka, what customers would you like to support?" And to that I replied "Anything that moves! Preferably aerospace or space" Since I was a child, I was always fascinated by the concept of flight sitting by the window watching the engines generate power closer to takeoff. How can air lift up all of us?! I never stopped being fascinated by that. So today, 6 years later, I am glad to have received the right opportunities at the right time to position myself as a tech advocate for innovative aerospace applications. This post and my associated achievements would be incomplete without thanking people in my life whose contributions changed my game! 1) Thanks Dustin Sell for your wit and emotion and never thinking less of me when I thought less of me. 2) Thanks Mark Smith for trusting me with some of the most important customers I worked with. 3) Thanks Kyle Hart for taking me with you to customers, I had the most fun! 4)Thanks Derek Doerr for teaching me everything I know! 5) Thanks Diego M. for being a mentor and friend especially during the pandemic. 6) Thanks Stevan B. for hiring me into AWS Canada. 7) Thanks Rejean Bourgault for your kindness and for always being a strong advocate of my career growth. 8) Thanks Buffy Wajvoda for being an example of a strong female leader to me, and believing I'm as smart as you! 9) Thanks Karen Hildebrand, PhD for bringing me into WWSO so that I could work on my passions! 10) Thanks Mark Duffield for being my current and most amazing manager ever! You believed in me and you did more than just say it! 11) Thanks Rajeev Muralidhar for your active friendship! Honestly, I have just named a few people above. But I could go on.. Thank you so much!