Building Career Expertise

To become a VP at Amazon, I had to earn Jeff Bezos’s trust in my judgment, lead hundreds of people, and invent valuable new businesses. I achieved this with 3 straightforward but important methods: 1) Making Correct Decisions (and fixing bad ones) Becoming a trusted decision-maker means making correct decisions almost all the time, and course correcting when a decision does not work out. I developed specific steps to make right decisions (read the book, Decisive, by Chip and Dan Heath). 2) Scaling Yourself Leading large organizations requires scaling yourself to stay on top of dozens of separate teams. To do this, you must teach your leaders to recognize and feed you the right information. Then, you must get good at diving in to audit when needed. You have to let go of trying to "check up" on everything yourself. 3) Innovating I never thought of myself as inventive. But now, I have over 70 patents and helped start key Amazon businesses like Twitch Commerce, Prime Gaming, and Merch by Amazon. These are all billion-dollar businesses today. There is a proven process for inventing at scale, even if you aren't naturally "inventive." I taught myself and now use it routinely. One starting point is the "Whack Pack" app or cards by Stanford PhD Roger von Oech. This week’s newsletter is a deeper look look at each of these 3 elements, and I walk you through the steps to get started applying each of them. However, even the newsletter isn’t enough space to truly dive deep into these concepts. They are simple at face value, but applying them effectively is not. My course, Stuck at Senior Manager: Breaking Through to Executive, is where I go into far more detail about each of these areas and then teach you everything I know about becoming an executive. These three concepts are only about 15% of the complete course material. The course also provides students with more than 4 hours of live Q&A, and then a whole hour focused specifically on implementing these three things into daily work. The course also covers how executives lead their teams, how they participate on the executive team, and how to manage your own promotion process to get there yourself. The next cohort starts January 11 and includes four weekly in-depth implementation sessions to make sure that you are able to successfully apply everything you learn. This is the most in-depth version of the course I have ever offered. For more written depth on the topics right now, check out the newsletter: https://buff.ly/4fKeLRV If you are ready to commit to Breaking Through to the next level, then join the course, which covers these 3 topics and 16 others in greater depth: https://buff.ly/45x84xA Over the coming weeks I will share short summaries, backed up by depth in the newsletter, of several more of the 19 total topics in the class. Follow me here to make sure you see the posts. Readers: How do you scale your time and avoid distractions?

From being a stammerer filled with stage fright to delivering 100+ speeches in 4 years! Here are 10 things I did to train myself to be the best at it: 🎤 Practice Small Chunks: Break your speech into smaller sections and practice each part separately before combining them. This makes it easier to remember and reduces anxiety. 🎤 Record and Review: Record your practice sessions using your phone or a camera. Reviewing these recordings helps identify areas for improvement and track progress over time. 🎤 Gradual Exposure: Start by speaking in front of a mirror, then progress to speaking in front of a small group of friends or family, and gradually increase the audience size. This helps build confidence step-by-step. 🎤 Use Flashcards: Write key points or parts of your speech on flashcards. This helps you stay on track during your speech and reduces the fear of forgetting your lines. 🎤 Join Speaking Clubs: Participate in public speaking clubs like Toastmasters. Regular practice in a supportive environment helps you gain confidence and receive constructive feedback. 🎤 Practice with Distractions: Train yourself to stay focused by practicing your speech in environments with potential distractions, such as a noisy room or with background music playing. 🎤 Mirror Neurons: Watch videos of great speakers and try to mimic their body language and speaking style. This activates your mirror neurons, helping you learn by imitation. 🎤 Mindful Breathing: Before speaking, take deep breaths in for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four. This helps calm your nerves and centre your mind. 🎤 Positive Visualization: Spend a few minutes each day visualizing yourself giving a successful speech. Picture the audience applauding and yourself speaking confidently. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence. 🎤 Use Technology: Utilize speech practice apps that provide real-time feedback on your speaking speed, volume, and clarity. This helps you adjust and improve your delivery. When I learned these lessons, I realized that public speaking wasn't something to fear but something to celebrate. To be able to reach more people and create a long-lasting impact! So, if you're struggling like I was, start training your brain. It's not easy, but it's worth it. ❤️ #publicspeaking #growth #communication #softskills

The advice to "perfect your elevator pitch" is incomplete. That's why your networking events end in awkward silences. Most networking experts say: Have one clear elevator pitch and be concise. Make sure to stick to your main focus. Here's the thing: That approach is actually making networking harder for you. When you say "I'm in marketing," you've just created a conversation dead end. The other person nods politely and you both stand there in awkward silence. If you're already uncomfortable at networking events, this conventional advice makes it exponentially worse. Christian Busch, who studies serendipity at USC, has a completely different approach: serendipity hooks. Instead of giving people one thing to remember about you, give them five things to connect with. This isn't about being scattered—it's about being strategic. Here's what this looks like in practice: ❌ Conventional: "I'm Joe and I'm in marketing." ✅ Serendipity hooks: "I'm Dorie and I split my time between Miami and New York. I write business and career books, and also do a lot of speaking - I just got back from a talk in Dubai. I also write musicals and I'm organizing a concert performance of my new spy musical." Notice the difference in what you've just created? The other person now has multiple pathways into a real conversation. Maybe they're fascinated by musicals, have connections in Dubai, want to write a book, or used to live in New York. They can grab onto whatever resonates and suddenly you're both relaxed and actually talking. People don't need to remember you for one perfect thing. They need to find one thing that they can relate to. Once they do, the conversation becomes effortless. We've been approaching networking backwards. Instead of being memorable for one thing, be relatable in multiple ways. 💾 Save this post and send it to someone who dreads networking events ➡️ Follow Dorie Clark for more

🤝 Networking feels awkward? You’re not alone. If the idea of reaching out to someone for “networking” makes you cringe, you’re not the only one. Many of us associate networking with forced small talk, sales pitches, or feeling like we’re asking for favours. But here’s the truth: Networking doesn’t have to feel transactional. When done right, it’s about building authentic, mutually beneficial connections that can open doors and provide value to both parties. Here’s how to make networking feel natural and effective: 1️⃣ Start with Common Ground When reaching out, mention something you genuinely admire or have in common. This could be their work on a specific project, attending the same school, or even shared connections. 👉 Example: “Hi [Name], I recently read about your work on [specific project], and I found it fascinating! As someone interested in [related topic], I’d love to hear about your approach.” 2️⃣ Shift the Mindset from “Getting” to “Giving” Instead of asking for favours, think about how you can offer value. Sharing helpful insights, articles, or even thoughtful comments on LinkedIn posts can create goodwill and start a genuine conversation. 👉 Example: Commenting on their post: “I really appreciate your take on [topic]. It reminded me of [specific example/experience], and I’m excited to apply this in my own work!” 3️⃣ Ask for Advice, Not Favours People love to share their expertise, and asking for advice shows respect for their knowledge. It’s a low-pressure way to connect while learning something valuable. 👉 Example: “Hi [Name], I’m exploring opportunities in [industry/role], and your career journey is inspiring. Would you be open to a quick chat to share advice on [specific topic]?” 4️⃣ Follow Up with Gratitude Networking doesn’t end after one conversation. Send a thank-you note, share how their advice helped, or engage with their updates online to maintain the connection. 👉 Example: “Thank you for taking the time to chat with me! Your advice on [topic] was so helpful—I’ve already started applying it and am seeing progress. Let’s stay in touch!” 💡 Final Thought: Networking isn’t about collecting connections; it’s about building relationships. Approach each interaction with curiosity, authenticity, and a genuine desire to add value, and you’ll find it feels much less awkward—and a lot more rewarding. How do you make networking feel natural? Let’s share ideas below! 💬👇 #NetworkingTips #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalConnections #JobSearch

If you’ve ever walked out of an interview replaying every answer, worrying if you were likable enough, polished enough, or impressive enough, let me tell you something: none of that matters. Interviews aren’t about charm or perfection they’re about demonstrating that you solve problems and create impact. I break down exactly how top candidates approach interviews strategically and how you can too! 1. Stop selling potential start showing solutions. Every role exists because something in the organization isn’t working, isn’t scaling, or could be improved. Your goal isn’t to convince them you deserve the job it’s to show that you already operate at the level of the role and can immediately move things forward. 2. Your resume isn’t your story. Reading your resume aloud is boring. To stand out, you need to share examples using the CAR framework: Context, Action, Result. Show how your experience maps to real problems the organization is facing. For example: "I noticed your team recently expanded into new categories, which often creates operational challenges. At my last company, I worked with cross-functional teams to streamline approvals, improving launch efficiency by 25%." This positions you as someone who thinks like a peer, not a hopeful applicant! 3. Questions aren’t small talk they’re your superpower. At the end of every interview, you have a chance to demonstrate strategic thinking. The right questions signal leadership and curiosity: What does success look like in the first six months for this role?   What are the biggest challenges this role needs to solve immediately?   How do you define top performance here, and how do promotion decisions get made? These questions show that you’re already thinking about impact, results, and growth, and they set you apart from every other candidate who just says, “No, you covered everything.” 4. Follow-up is more than etiquette. A thoughtful follow-up reinforces your value. Reference a topic you discussed and demonstrate your understanding: "I’ve been thinking about our conversation around onboarding and am excited by the opportunity to streamline that process." This reminds them that you’re a problem solver who already adds value. The truth is, most people treat interviews as auditions. But career growth isn’t about being liked it’s about demonstrating your impact, asserting your value, and choosing the organizations you want to work with.

🌟Behind the Scenes of Public Speaking 🌟 I've often received messages complimenting me on how my public appearances and addresses come across as being effortless. As senior representatives of the larger industry and our organisation, we’re often invited to speak at events and share our insights on stage or in front of a camera. The first time going up on an imposing stage in front of an audience, or the first time facing a camera, can be overwhelming to anyone. But remember, while it may seem like public speaking comes naturally to some, this ability isn’t necessarily innate—it can be practised, honed, and carefully crafted over time. What appears effortless on stage is often times a product of deliberate preparation. Sharing the 5 principles I follow to ensure my presentations are impactful: 🗒 In-Depth Research: Mastering the subject matter is crucial. This is a continuous process and needs dedication. I dive deep into data, trends, and case studies regularly, to make sure I have relevant and compelling insights at my fingertips - and not just for a speaking engagement. ➡ Deliberate Practice: Rehearsing just before an engagement will only take you so far. It’s about refining your delivery style, flow of thoughts and anticipating transitions, over a period of time. Only then will you truly own the material - so that it feels completely natural. 🗣 Personalised Delivery: The best speeches are the ones that mirror natural conversations. So, as you delve into the exercise of learning and practising public speaking, you will find that the best way to structure what you have to say, is to keep it as close as possible to your natural conversation style. This approach fosters authenticity, ensuring the message lands in a way that feels completely you. 👥 Audience-centric Approach: Understanding who you are speaking to —what they care about, what challenges they face, what is relevant to the context of the engagement — will help you fine-tune and tailor your message for maximum impact. 🔄 Continuous Refinement: Actively seek feedback after each and every talk, in order to continuously refine your technique. This cycle of reflection and improvement is key to evolving as a communicator. The magic of public speaking often lies in the unseen hours of preparation that goes before it. What seems effortless in public is, in fact, shaped before and after the actual delivery.

How can we keep sharpening our leadership effectiveness as executives? How can we deepen our self-awareness—and help others truly get to know us? And how can we lead effectively in today’s increasingly diverse and dispersed work environments? Over the past 2.5 days, I had the pleasure of exploring these and many other leadership questions with an outstanding group of participants in IESE Business School's General Management Program on our Munich campus. A few key takeaways from our conversations: ✅ Make time to regularly check assumptions and stress-test your approach—especially before key meetings or decisions. AI-assisted tools can help here. ✅ Surround yourself with people who challenge your perspective and help you uncover your blind spots. ✅ In today’s complex, distributed work environments, empowering and sharing leadership with the next level isn’t optional—it’s essential. ✅ Self-knowledge is a team asset: understanding ourselves helps us build stronger, more complementary teams. ✅ Informal influence matters—understanding your own sources of it can be a powerful leadership lever. Thank you to everyone for your energy, openness, and thoughtful contributions! #GMP2025 #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveEducation #GlobalLeadership

Ever wondered how you can transform seasoned mid-level leaders into visionary senior leaders right within your organization? Here’s a compelling case study that might inspire you to rethink your approach. Imagine leading an executive presence intervention for a top-tier manufacturing unit within a global engineering giant. With 12 leaders, each boasting over 20 years of stellar performance, the challenge was clear: ignite their passion for growth and elevate their executive presence for high-stakes meetings and CXO conversations. The goal? Beyond refining their skills, we aimed to instill the gravitas needed to drive the organization’s vision and foster authentic leadership from the inside out. Here’s what we did: 1. Crafted a Six-Month Leadership Odyssey: Dynamic group coaching sessions fostered stronger bonds and deep trusting conversations. Leaders felt safe to open up and share their vulnerabilities, creating a powerful foundation for growth. A 100-day support process bridged virtual gaps. 2. Customized Coaching: Each leader received personalized coaching, enriched by insights about Fortune 100 CXOs. We focused on Executive Presence and applied innovative communication techniques to enhance their gravitas and presence in critical meetings. The Result? These leaders didn’t just evolve—they underwent a profound transformation into change agents who propelled the organization towards sustainable change and new heights of employee and customer-centric excellence. They embraced authentic leadership, leading with confidence and authority in every high-stakes meeting. What Can You Take Away? 1. Foster Deep Trust: Create an environment where leaders can open up and share their vulnerabilities. Deep trusting conversations are essential for authentic leadership and sustainable change. 2. Enhance Executive Presence: Equip your leaders with the skills and confidence needed to handle CXO conversations and high-stakes meetings with gravitas. Tailor interventions to build their presence from the inside out. 3. Embrace Inside Out Leadership: Focus on nurturing leadership qualities from within. Authentic leadership starts with understanding oneself and extends to how leaders engage and inspire others. 4. Drive Sustainable Change: Ensure your leadership programs are designed to create lasting impact. Invest in ongoing support and personalized coaching to facilitate long-term growth and transformation. Here’s to unleashing the incredible potential within your organization! #LeadershipDevelopment #SuccessionPlanning #ExecutivePresence #AuthenticLeadership #InsideOutLeadership #CXOConversations #HighStakesMeetings #TransformationalLeadership #SustainableChange #Impact #Gravitas

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜. A strong network isn’t built by handing out business cards, attending endless events, or adding thousands of LinkedIn connections. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼. That means being: • 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 – Do you bring insights, solutions, or connections that help others? • 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 – Are you open to sharing knowledge, making introductions, or supporting when it matters? • 𝗔𝗯𝗹𝗲 – Do you continuously build skills that make you an asset, not just an acquaintance? • 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 – Are your relationships built on sincerity, or just self-interest? The mistake many professionals make is thinking networking is about who they 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝗜𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. If people only hear from you when you need something, that’s not networking—that’s extraction. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂. The best networkers don’t just collect people. They contribute. And that’s why doors open for them. 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁.

To be great at public speaking, you can’t just be good at speaking. Here’s what most people overlook: 🔵 Adaptability is key. Even with a well-prepared talk, live events are unpredictable. The room’s energy, unexpected technical issues, or audience engagement can shift. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Is it scary when this happens? Yes. But it’s also part of a speaker’s toolkit to know how to stay calm and improvise in those moments. 🔵 Master the art of silence. The best speakers don’t fill every moment with words. They use pauses to let their message sink in. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Get comfortable with silence—it’s one of your most powerful tools for impact. 🔵 Confidence is built in preparation. Rarely is someone a natural at “winging it,” despite how it may look. Confidence comes from knowing your material, practicing until it’s second nature, and getting in the reps. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Rehearse until your nerves shift from fear to excitement. Preparation removes fear of the unknown. 🔵 Your body speaks before you do. People will read your body language long before they hear your words. Strong posture, eye contact, and purposeful movement say more than you realize. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Command the stage with your presence—engage with your whole body, not just your voice. 🔵 Understand the power of connection. You can have the most polished speech, but if you're not resonating with your audience, you’re missing the point. 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Start with a story or question that grabs attention. It’s not about perfection, it’s about making a real connection. Public speaking isn’t just about speaking; it’s about commanding the stage, connecting with your audience, and delivering your message in a way that sticks. How do you approach public speaking? Share your experiences below 👇