Personal Dave Posts
I Wrote a 90,000-Word Novel With AI in 2 Days. You Probably Shouldn’t.
AI is great for some things. Not all things. Join me as I take on this experiment.
Latest
Interviewing
A Complete Guide to the Amazon Bar Raiser Interview Process
All interview processes are imperfect. But I think the Amazon Bar Raiser program is a brilliant differentiator.
Interviewing
Interview Mistake: Trash Talking Co-Workers
Complaining about co-workers is an immature and dangerous temptation.
Newsletter
9 Hard Lessons You Learn as a Director at Amazon
What unexpected things happen when your scope increases, almost everything is ambiguous, and results (not effort) are all that matter.
Late Career
Keep Calm and Carry On - Calm Beats Chaos Every Time
Staying calm in a crisis is a necessary component of leadership.
Organizations
Why do the Amazon Leadership Principles Work? How Do They Change Behaviors?
The Amazon Leadership Principles are awesome in driving behaviors within Amazon. Why don't other companies manage this type of behavior influence?
Organizations
You’re Not “Letting People Go”—You're Firing Them
Getting past the euphemisms - this is what “performance management” looks like from the manager chair.
Personal Dave Posts
What's On My Mind After 4.5 Years of Writing a Newsletter
A bit of this and that.
Managing Up
The Easiest Way to Get a Yes at Work
Why most career asks fail (if you even ask) and how making your requests smaller, clearer, and time-bound dramatically increases your odds of getting a good response.
Late Career
Your Strength Got You Here, but Doing The Opposite Will Take You Farther
Your natural tendencies work brilliantly in the right context, but real growth comes from learning when to flip them.
Career Growth
Twelve Career Lessons They Don’t Put in Onboarding
A few hard-earned lessons about people, politics, consistency, and the parts of work we pretend aren’t part of the job. But really are.
Late Career
Confidence: A Legal Performance-Enhancing Drug for the Office. 7 Manipulation Tips for Winners.
You don’t need permission to lead. You just need to look, sound, and act like a person others instinctively follow. Because, yes, we're all sheep.