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Before taking the helm at Amazon as CEO, Andy Jassy began his career in 1997 as a marketing manager, but his professional journey included several diverse roles that spanned investment banking, sports production, and retail. These varied experiences shaped his perspective on leadership and success.
In a recent blog post published on Amazon’s official site, Jassy, who is now 57 years old, shared insights from his career journey and emphasized the significance of a positive attitude in achieving success. He noted, “I do believe that an embarrassing amount of what makes people successful is attitude.”
Jassy’s trajectory at Amazon has been noteworthy. He played a pivotal role in the company’s growth by founding and leading Amazon Web Services (AWS), which he became the CEO of in 2016. AWS has emerged as a cornerstone of Amazon’s profitability, boasting an impressive operating profit of $13.5 billion in 2020, comprising over 63% of the overall operating profit for the company that year. His leadership was solidified in 2021 when he succeeded Jeff Bezos as CEO of Amazon.
In his reflections, Jassy described a successful mindset as one characterized by diligence, reliability, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to a company’s mission. He reiterated that Amazon strives to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company,” underscoring the importance of a proactive attitude that empowers employees to make substantial contributions.
Jassy also acknowledged the lessons he learned from the various professional roles he undertook before joining Amazon. He emphasized that not having a clear career destination early on is acceptable. “Maybe not even in your 40s, 50s, and 60s. I think that you have a chance to keep writing your own story and reinventing your own story,” he stated, advocating for continuous growth and exploration in one’s career.
The theme of attitude as a key component of success is not new for Jassy. He previously expressed similar sentiments in an interview with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, where he advised young professionals to prioritize their attitude in the workplace. He said, “There are so many things that you can’t control in your work life, but you can control your attitude,” emphasizing that a dependable and proactive mindset can facilitate the development of valuable mentorships and support within an organization.
Jassy’s focus on leadership principles coincides with a broader trend among corporate leaders. Recently, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon underscored the need for humility and empathy in leadership, advising executives to foster positive relationships with all employees, regardless of their status within the organization.
Today, Amazon stands as the fourth most valuable company globally, with a market capitalization exceeding $2 trillion, highlighting the impactful leadership and strategic direction set forth by Jassy and his predecessors.
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