Welcome to Leadership Lessons
I've made every mistake a new manager can make.
In 2015, I was promoted to my first leadership role on the warehouse floor at Amazon. I was excited, terrified, and completely unprepared. I made decisions that cost thousands of dollars, gave feedback that made people want to transfer off my team, and learned the hard way that managing people is nothing like the leadership books written for corporate executives.
Here's what I discovered: Most leadership advice is written by people who've never had to give performance feedback over the noise of conveyor belts, or make critical decisions when you have 30 seconds before the next truck arrives.
Over the past decade, I progressed from front-line associate to managing multiple departments with 120+ people. Today, I'm an instructor in Amazon's Acceleration Academy, where I design and deliver leadership development workshops to hundreds of managers across 83 sites throughout the US and Canada. But more importantly, I've onboarded dozens of first-time managers and watched them navigate the same challenges I once faced.
That's why Leadership Lessons exists.
This isn't another leadership blog filled with abstract theories. Every article comes from real experience—mine and the hundreds of managers I've worked with. Whether you're struggling with difficult conversations, trying to build trust with a skeptical team, or learning to make better decisions under pressure, I've been there.
Over 300 articles later, I've discovered what really works. My most popular posts tackle the practical challenges you face every day: how to make better decisions as a new manager, how to keep a success journal for career growth, and how to give feedback that actually creates change instead of defensiveness.
What you'll get each week:
One long-form article diving deep into a specific leadership challenge
Daily actionable steps you can implement in 10 minutes or less
Real stories and frameworks from the warehouse floor, not the boardroom
Tools and strategies that work in loud, fast-paced, high-pressure environments
This is leadership advice for people who lead where the real work gets done.
Whether you're managing a manufacturing line, a warehouse team, or any group of people who actually make things happen, you'll find practical guidance you can use immediately.
Join thousands of managers who are building better teams, making smarter decisions, and advancing their careers—one lesson at a time.
Disclaimer: While my insights are shaped by over a decade at Amazon, this is my personal publication and doesn't necessarily represent Amazon's views.
