Nick Weaver’s Post

March 31st marked my 10 year anniversary at Amazon. It is hard for me to believe how much time has past with my time at Amazon but with all the experience I have gained it does add up. I began my journey jumping into something completely new to me, just willing to take a role that would provide some professional development. Never saw myself becoming a company person, and in my mind I felt it would be a short lived adventure. Reflecting on the reasons I stay, the answer is not always easy but there are common themes that have always been present. 1) Throughout my time at Amazon I have always remained impressed by my direct leadership, and how they have encouraged results from me. While I have never had the opportunity to meet the CEO or my SVP for that matter, I have found the senior leadership that has been close to me to be representative of successful ideals. I have always enjoyed the relationships I have had with my managers, and never felt my interests were not on the top of their mind or they were not thinking about my well being. 2) The community of my peers has always included individuals who promote a respectful work environment, and celebrate team successes rather than encouraging individual competitiveness. These are the people I have spent a good portion of my daily life with, and I have always appreciated their company as we have navigated some difficult times. I have always said you can have your dream job but be miserable if your work environment is toxic. While Amazon was not in my mind when I started my career as a dream job, the work environment has for the most part been a wonderful place for me. 3) Having the priority of my role to ensure employees have a positive experience at Amazon has been a source where I have drawn inspiration. Having such longevity in a role can only be possible if you truly believe in what you are doing. While I work for an e-commerce company much of my day to day focus is on the indivial experience of how Amazon employees navigate role changes. I do not always agree with what is decided at the top, but it brings me joy if there are aspects along the way I can influence to make things better. With Amazon’s openness to innovation/change I have never felt there has been a barrier in stopping me from having an impact. While I understand my experience at Amazon can be unique, or maybe I have fitted into the mold well, it does not change the fact I have good reasons to be grateful for my time here. I have never seen this as a permanent place, and time has sort of crept up on me, but it has been a wonderful journey nonetheless. For those of you who have been with me along the way, thank you for being part of my Amazon journey. Shout out to all my former managers! (Brett Lumsden, Chris Gootherts, Cody Grant , Matthew Wiltse, Lisa Richards , Erin Downs , Anupriya Sitani, Lloyd Wilky, Kevin Manion )

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.

Thanks for Java.

Crazy experience in software engineering I ever encountered and this man gave me inspiration by just existing. p/s: If you wanna get to know some of the great engineers, go to comments section)

Kicking off my 7th Amazon Peak with a new milestone this year - my first marathon! During my nearly 4 hours of uninterrupted thinking time yesterday I started drawing parallels between my work and the marathon. Sharing a few of my favorites below. 1. Half-way mentality: throughout my training and on race day I mentally prepped myself for the halfway distance, not the full distance. I knew that if I could just make it to the midpoint then I’d have to make my way back. We have a similar mindset at Amazon with Bias for Action. To drive change as an organization, we cannot afford to wait until we have a path forward for ideal, end state requirements. We get going, use a phased approach, learn quickly, and find our way to the finish line. 2. Planning/training: this one may seem obvious, but some of my non-Amazonian connections may be surprised to hear that we started planning for this Holiday Peak season even before I kicked off my marathon training this summer! Both are an iterative process throughout the year with plans continuously getting refined. Just like long runs for marathon training, we have opportunities to practice for Peak during early deals events throughout the year that require similar planning, but on a smaller scale. 3. Encouragement/motivation: I could not have accomplished my marathon goal without the support of my cheer squad and the many positive comments along the route. These folks truly picked me up when I was on empty. While it didn’t involve cow bells, I’ve experienced this in Amazon as well. This has been a challenging year for me professionally. There have been many moments I’ve doubted myself, but always at the perfect time I’ve gotten some form of encouragement from a leader or peer. I’ve also been continuously motivated by my team members who also hit recent running milestones (shoutout to Jayanth Sankar, Megan Bolton, and Jared Anzalone-Wimmer). Without a strong support system, it’s very difficult to hit goals. Remember to encourage your team/peers! 4. Couldn’t help myself with this one: the Last Mile is the best mile! 🙂 Looking forward to another awesome Holiday Season! Happy Cyber Monday all!

Thanks for #Java the first programming language I learnt after #GWBasic

Moving on from Amazon after 7 Incredible Peaks! As the 2023 Holiday Peak season concludes, so does my incredible journey at Amazon. After 7 impactful years, I'm embarking on new adventures and challenges in 2024, and I couldn't be more excited! I'm deeply grateful for my time at Amazon and the countless leaders who believed in me, empowering me to grow and thrive. Joining in 2017, fresh off terminal leave from the Navy, I had no idea what incredible experiences awaited. Over the years, I've had the privilege of: -Contributing to the growth of multiple organizations, scaling businesses by significant percentages. -Traveling across the US, supporting hundreds of building launches. -Leading and growing extraordinary teams, always humbled by the talented folks that build great things! Of all the accomplishments, the privilege of working alongside smart and inspiring individuals stands out as the true highlight. Their dedication, expertise, and friendship is what I will remember the most. A special thank you to Casey Thigpen, MS, Brandon Preston, Russell Rodgers - CFM, Craig Adams, and Karen Schlobohm, MS for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the last 7 years. Your mentorship had an immense impact on my career, and I'll forever value your wisdom and encouragement. As I prepare for this new chapter, I'm reflecting on valuable lessons learned at Amazon: Leadership is a privilege, not a right. "Everybody is somebody to someone" perfectly summarizes how to treat people on your teams. Treating you team with respect, compassion and empathy always yields the best results! Continuous progress is key. Setting ambitious goals, collaborating with your team, and celebrating achievements together compounds success and builds a contagious environment. Humility builds trust. Actively seeking feedback, listening with an open mind, and giving credit where due strengthens relationships and creates a culture where people are willing to take risks to do something great! Now, it's time for a well-deserved break and recharge with family before hitting the ground running in 2024! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

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

public class Main {    public static void main(String[] args) {        System.out.println("Thank you so much Sir!");    } }

2,391 #day1s with #amazon, while today marks my #day2; allowing me to embark on my next chapter (more to follow). Thank you William Lindhardt Deborah Harvey , David Bunn , Marcelo Garcia, CSCP , Catherine Vogt , Ken Price , Gregg Harnish Jan De Baets Vincent Ciccarelli, MBA , Beau Higgins Raphael Hernandez Tuan Huynh Warren Crawford, Vidyalakshmi Arun Rachel Pollock-Sharkey. Sreehari V Chandrasekharan Travis Arment Siddharth Thakkar , and the thousands of others who believed in me up to this point. Lastly, thank you Andy Jassy for allowing me to be a proud member of the Amazonian team. Words fail to fully capture my deep appreciation for my tenure at Amazon, a chapter that will forever hold a significant place in my life's narrative. The challenges I faced, including 100+ hour weeks, the hair I lost, and the ones that turned grey, were all integral to this remarkable journey. Each day, I had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds on the planet, absorbing invaluable insights like daily masterclasses in every interaction. Reflecting on my time at Amazon, three key lessons stand out: 1. Good Intentions Aren't Enough [Customer Obsession]: It's crucial to master the skill of working backwards, always prioritizing the customer. This approach isn't just about intent; it's about effective execution and keeping customer needs at the forefront. 2. Embrace Professional Curiosity [Learn and Be Curious]: Success gravitates towards those who actively pursue their professional curiosities, even when it means stepping out of their comfort zone. Before joining Amazon in 2017, I couldn't have imagined that I'd develop a passion for crafting articulate business documents, or find fulfillment in spending long hours automating operational processes and building databases. Yet, here I am, driven by that very zeal. 3. Value the Present 🌹 :Taking time to smell the roses' is more than a cliché. My only regret from these transformative 6.5 years is not savoring the moments more. I was #blessed to be apart of some truly amazing innovations (I.e. Project Kuiper). It's a reminder that while we strive for excellence and innovation, appreciating the present is equally important. As I move forward, these lessons and experiences will guide me. My journey at Amazon has been a blend of relentless challenge and profound learning, shaping me both professionally and personally. For that, I am eternally grateful. On to the next, onwards and upwards- 2024 🫡😬 #technology #newbeginnings #universityofwashington