Lee Harris

Finding Growth in Every Chapter Life doesn’t always go as planned, but every experience has something to teach us. Right now, I’m working at an Amazon warehouse—a humble job that’s helping me discover what I value most in a workplace. One of my favorite things is the incredible global diversity. Every day, I meet people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds. It’s a reminder of how much we can achieve together, no matter where we come from. This isn’t my forever path, but I’m grateful for the lessons it’s teaching me about inclusion, opportunity, and the power of diversity. Here’s a short poem I wrote about my experience: A Day at Amazon In the hum of the warehouse, the world comes alive, A tapestry woven where cultures collide. Languages spoken, stories untold, A global community, vibrant and bold. Each step reminds me of all we share, Diverse but united, showing we care. Every chapter has a purpose, and I’m embracing this one as a celebration of the incredible diversity around me. #WorkplaceValues #DiversityAndInclusion #LeadershipFromWithin #GrowthMindset #GlobalCommunity #Teamwork #CareerLessons #FutureReady

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Throughout my 10 years at Amazon, I have learned to overcome my insecurities. Our natural tendency is to avoid the situations that make us uncomfortable. However the thing that’s worked for me is to flip my thinking on that tendency. If I avoid this situation, what is the perception of me? Perception is an important factor in career progression, whether we like it or not - how your leaders, peers, stakeholders, direct reports perceive you and your efficacy. I’ve found being aware of these perceptions has also helped directs or mentees who have a particular development opportunity that they can’t quite overcome. It provides just the right fire to show you are not that perception! Some examples: Insecurity: Not speaking up in a meeting Perception: She doesn’t have any good ideas to contribute Insecurity: Not proactively sharing updates on my work Perception: She’s not making progress or doesn’t have any successes to share Insecurity: Not reaching out to stakeholders all the time because I don’t want to bother them Perception: She’s working solo and not bringing everyone along Insecurity: Not giving tough feedback in the moment Perception: She has a low bar or she doesn’t know how to manage her team Realizing I am far from any of these perceptions is just the motivation I need to not get in my own way. Important note: Focusing on the perceptions DOES NOT mean you change who you are to meet someone else’s preference. So keep the HOW authentic to you - how you speak up in a meeting, how you give feedback, etc. Merely being aware of people’s perceptions is a powerful tool. You can push on your insecurities and still be true to yourself. What realizations have helped you tackle your insecurities? #careeradvice #insecurities #feedback #careerdevelopment #perceptionvsreality #amazon

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A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 3 year anniversary with Amazon and I can honestly say that during my first year, I didn't think I would make it this far. I started my career in Fulfillment as an Area Manager and while I loved my internship with Amazon, the job and site itself was very different from my expectations. I didn't fit in, I lead by people first, metrics second, and that did not align with my upper leadership. I believe that if you build your team, engage with them, support them, LISTEN to them, the metrics will come, and more importantly sustain. But it was clear from the start my leaders didn't feel the same way and after 8 months in role, I started to question my decision to leave hospitality and enter this logistics world. But that's the beauty of Amazon, you are never tied down to one place or one role, and 2 years ago to the day, I left AMZL and started my journey with Amazon Go. I can honestly say it was the best career decision I could have ever made. Since my time with Go, I have been a part of all 6 launches of our Suburban Go format, became the Store Manager Training Ambassador training our newest leaders in the West in both California and Seattle, been promoted from Store Manager to Multi Unit Leader, and my proudest accomplishment, have helped build a bench in LA and have overseen 7 L3 associates become promoted to L4s in the last 6 months. With the focus always being on being a people first leader. This of course could not be possible on my own. Special thanks to my amazing Regional Leader Michelle Izeppi who continues to inspire and push me to be the best I can be. To my National Leader Kevin Anderson who believes in people development just as much as I do, and to all my directs, especially Rosemarie Cooks Skyeler Lopez Jesus Hernandez who lead through a culture of engagement and raise the bar each and everyday. So if you ever feel stuck or that your values don't align with your current leader, in the words of Ross Gellar, 'Pivot!' Onto the next Ama-versy! Amazon Associates Amazon Business #amazonvestlife #promo #leadership

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I love hearing stories about fellow Amazonians who take our Leadership Principles to a new level. They empower us to make a real impact on the business, while allowing us to design our own career paths. Last week, I learned about Emanuel Purice, an Amazonian who was instrumental in launching the first Amazon "Pet Day" back in 2019. Recognizing that over 70% of people in the US are pet owners, Emanuel saw an opportunity in the growing demand for pet-related products and services on Amazon. Embodying our #ThinkBig principle, he proposed the idea of an Amazon-wide celebration of all things pets. Leadership enthusiastically backed Emanuel's innovative concept, recognizing its potential to make loads of customers and their pets happy. (#CustomerObsession) The first Amazon Pet Day was a huge success, generating over $40m in sales and opening doors for other philanthropic efforts . (#deliverresults). By taking the initiative to bring his big idea to life (#ownership), Emanuel was able to write his own ticket and take his career in an exciting new direction at Amazon. (#InventandSimplify) Our Leadership Principles aren't just words on a wall - they are alive and well, empowering Amazonians like Emanuel to make a real difference. To get a closer look at his inspiring story, follow the link below. #amazon #leadership #raisethebar #careerdevelopment #opportunity #empower #grateful

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It was great to see old friends and make new ones at Amazon Accelerate! If we just met, please connect with me on linkedin and stay in touch. The conference was packed with new releases and training. I'm sharing just a handful of highlights below that I look forward to discussing further on team calls. #AmazonAccelerate #Accelerate #Amazon #RunAMZ

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Two major changes are highlighted to enhance Amazon's corporate culture and organizational efficiency: 1. simplify the organizational structure: By the first quarter of 2025, the plan is to reduce the percentage of managers by 15% and increase the percentage of individual contributors. This is intended to reduce bureaucratic processes, speed up decision-making in the field, increase employee ownership, and facilitate decision-making where it will have the greatest impact on customers. 2. return to the office: beginning in January 2025, it will be standard for employees to return to the office five days a week. Exceptions will be maintained for approved remote work, but the basic policy is to return to pre-pandemic work styles. Face-to-face work is expected to improve collaboration, strengthen culture, and enhance creativity. These changes are intended to preserve Amazon's strong culture and allow teams to invent more quickly and efficiently for customers. ——- I have some questions. Regarding the simplification of the organizational structure, how will the reduction of management positions affect the teams in the field? And what are the non-work-related implications for employees adapting to remote work? Whether employees will be able to make a smooth transition to a two day workweek is likely to be a key factor. Finally, I am curious how feedback from employees will be collected and incorporated.

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Walmart is taking a proactive approach in talent development by investing in its 2.1 million global 🌍 associates. With a skills shortage looming in sectors such as manufacturing and transportation, the retail giant is leveraging its workforce's untapped potential. Beyond traditional retail roles, Walmart offers diverse opportunities, from cybersecurity analysts to product managers 💼, emphasizing career growth 📈 and access to higher-paying positions. Initiatives like Walmart Academy, Live Better U 🎓, and AI-powered career explorer tools are key to this strategy. An exceptional program, Associate to Driver, supports employees in transitioning to CDL roles 🚚, with the potential to earn up to $110k in the first year. Walmart is also exploring training programs for roles like certified technicians 🔧, blending classroom instruction with hands-on experience. This approach underscores the significance of investing in employee development to address critical roles, boost retention, and enhance economic mobility for millions. #TalentDevelopment #Upskilling #CareerMobility #EmployeeExperience #HRInnovation #Leadership

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Compared to double-digit year-over-year increases in other retail-related revenue streams, Amazon’s Q1 retail sales growth was relatively subdued: Net sales at its online store rose 7% to $54.7 billion and at physical stores rose 6.3% to $5.2 billion. #retailsales #amazon #omnichannelretail

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Investing in Walmart’s People Partner talent is one of the most rewarding parts of my role! Today, nearly 400 store, market, and regional People Partners across the Southwest BU spent time collaborating on our quarterly #InvestInTheBest program focused on strengthening talent management capabilities! Tied to SHRM’s Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge (BASK), it was tremendous to hear how Market People Partners Noe Cantu, T.C. Wilson, SHRM-CP, and Anthony Agnew are attracting and cultivating talent within their stores and markets! And, when you have amazing People Leads engaged and sharing best practices like today, we know it is helping others find solutions for their situations! #SamWalton said it best: “If you want the people in the stores to take care of the customers, you have to make sure you’re taking care of the people in the stores.” Focusing on attracting and cultivating talent helps us make sure we are taking care of our store associates! I am so proud to see the number of SWBU People Partners earning a credentialed skill that will stay with them forever! Next up is Q3’s focus on Digital Intelligence! Let’s go! #TeamWalmart #OurPeopleMakeTheDifference #BestPlaceToWork #YouBelong #apathforeveeyone #StriveForExcellence

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It's another great day to work at Walmart! As part of our Associates Week announcements, we shared this morning we're creating a new bonus program for hourly Walmart U.S. store associates, which also rewards their tenure with the company. The longer an hourly store associate stays with us, the higher their bonus potential – up to $1,000 a year. But, wait - that's not all! We also highlighted other associate investments, including: 🔷 The launch of the Associate to Technician Program. This initiative addresses the skilled trade labor shortage while creating fresh career opportunities right here at Walmart. 🔷 Doubling the number of skills certificates available through our Live Better U benefit. 🔷 Introducing the new Total Pay & Benefits feature in the Me@Walmart app, which will enable associates to easily see features like their pay, 401K, benefits and more. Want to join in the fun and work at Walmart? Go to: https://lnkd.in/gWuSHbfT https://lnkd.in/gEnD2uad

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Great article highlights the incredible work of our outstanding leaders at Walmart who play pivotal roles in selecting the $650 billion worth of goods we offer each year. Our Chief Merchant for Walmart U.S., Chief Merchant for Sam’s Club, and EVP of Sourcing, are leading the teams with dedication and expertise. Their efforts not only help us provide great products but also allow us to fulfill our mission of saving people money so they can live better. https://lnkd.in/gkyBAKhu

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I’ve been at Amazon long enough to have my fair share of failures. Yesterday in a career panel, we were asked our biggest mistakes or failures and what we learned from them. Amazon, and many successful companies, are famous for embracing failure, and I now understand how integral this is to fostering a culture of innovating, learning, iterating, and improving without shame or blame. Funny enough all the panelists, me included, lit up at the opportunity to air out our biggest fumbles! I’ll never forget the doc review that went sideways or the time I made a grave calculation error in my open-to-buy or when I attempted to answer a leadership question I really did not know and got called out for it or when the Prime Day email went out with the wrong info in it. The other panelists had their own stories about shutting the site down by accident or making system errors that impacted several teams. What we all had in common was what we learned from these experiences: 1️⃣ It matters how you act during these major moments. Being transparent about what happened, then quickly figuring out a short term solve, then reflecting and implementing the long term, systemic solutions is the way to go. These personal flubs can often lead to better, more innovative solutions to problems.   2️⃣ There is always a lesson to be learned. About yourself, how you operate, what you’re focused on, how to think differently. I have a higher bar now for customer facing content because I know the flipside of not, and I will confidently defer an answer to a question that I don't know. 3️⃣ Mistakes will happen, we are human. Dwell on them for the appropriate amount of time and then keep going. Take perspective on how impactful (or not) this is in the grand scheme of your day/month/year/career. Your resilience will serve you better for all the future challenges to come. It felt good to hear others had similar experiences and persevered. What are your biggest lessons from failure? #failure #innovation #careerlessons #amazon

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According to Stratably, 61% of 1P brands find profitability management to be one of their biggest challenges on Amazon. One of the ways brands can address this is by working to reduce their chargebacks (fees that Vendor Central brands incur when they don’t follow Amazon’s shipping requirements). I am pleased to share that my agency Global Overview has achieved its lowest chargeback % of COGS ever, reaching 0.2% in Q2 2024! We couldn't be more thrilled about this result as it allows our brands to put more dollars back into their pockets. Want to learn more about how GO accomplished this feat? Click here: https://lnkd.in/gJnJW29Z #amazon #amazonagency #costsavings #vendorcentral

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In my 10 years at Amazon, I’ve had 7 different roles. Some were natural scope increases, some intentional moves I pursued, some outputs of a reorg. From buying to content strategy, then site merchandising to program and product management, jumping to learning and development. Recently I expanded scope in L&D to new learner populations and business lines. Regardless of the circumstance, pivoting can be daunting and exciting, natural and unnatural, confidence-crushing and confidence-boosting all at the same time. Here’s three ways I’ve tried to make each new transition more successful (aka here’s me giving myself a pep talk!): 1️⃣ Be confident in your strengths and prior experience and be mindful of how those can be utilized in your new role. On the flip side, outline your knowledge and skill gaps and who/what can help you bridge them. Share with your new manager and see what builds they have. This gives you a hint of a game plan going into the new role and some areas you can feel confident in when everything else feels new. 2️⃣ Try to contribute early (yes, without knowing much about anything!) by 1) bringing a customer perspective and 2) documenting observations/opportunities in the onboarding process as you are learning. Contributing something meaningful early on gives you a sense of accomplishment in this drinking-from-the-firehose/only-learning-not-doing phase and helps you integrate into the discussion and business decisions faster. But these two specific ways are helpful perspectives without coming in hot with uninformed new ideas super early. Try the product/service/training yourself, read the reviews and news articles to see what customers are saying. Offer these findings in the right forums. I also love when new people proactively document and propose how to improve the onboarding process - so helpful for managers and future teammates. 3️⃣ Prioritize understanding who the people are in your new space and how they are connected. Learn about them as people before you learn what they do. Here’s your chance to start new, positive relationships, regardless of the existing team dynamics. Building a productive relationship is much easier when you discover you share a favorite TV show and also dread doc writing and have a mutual love of gummy candy and share a connection from a past team. What other tips do you have (for me 😅)? #newroles #transitions #pivoting #careerpivots #amazon

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Thank you so much to everyone who sent their wishes and cheer! I truly appreciate it. It really pumps me up even more to BRING IT! 😊 I wanted to share the outcome and a few lessons I learned from the Walmart Open Call experience for those considering it next year: The Outcome: My meeting went exceptionally well, and we are now in active dialogue with the category manager for potential test set placements! While I didn’t score the “golden ticket” (a deal on the spot), the reason given was purely about timing since Mod 30 (week 30 for the eggs category) had just been completed. Key Takeaways: 1)Just Being Selected is a Win If you’re selected to pitch, you’ve already got the retailer's attention, which is huge! It sets you up nicely for the next review cycle, and they’ll keep an eye on you. 2) Submit Across Multiple Categories I noticed some brands had products in 6-7 categories and had meetings lined up all day! I could’ve submitted to 4 categories instead of just “Eggs.” Lesson learned for next time! 3) Why Multiple Categories Matter Cross-merchandising is a game changer. If timing for one category doesn’t align, pitching in another might be your entry point. For example, I could’ve pitched for Eggs or Deli with our Hard Boiled Eggs and also for the Frozen category with a different innovation. Once you’re on the "selected list," your conversations with other category managers become easier. 4) Expect the Unexpected You never know where an opportunity might open up. A friend of mine was aiming for Walmart but ended up getting placed in Sam’s Club instead! Retailers might see a fit where you didn’t initially expect. 5) The Experience is Electric! Walmart goes all out for the Open Call. The energy is incredible with two days full of pomp, props, inspirational guest speakers, and real-world case studies on how to succeed in the marketplace. I hope these insights help anyone considering the Open Call next year! Thanks again for all the support! Onward! 🚀 🚀 🚀 #wins #brandbuilding #emergingbrands #growth #startupjourney #eatmoreplants #vegan #plantbased Crafty Counter #wundereggs Walmart #walmartopencall

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Target’s Q2 2024 results are in! Despite market pressures, the focus on supply chain efficiency and digital growth is evident. It’s exciting to see how Target continues to innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing retail landscape. #Target #RetailInnovation #BusinessGrowth #WorkSomewhereYouLove

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Last week, Walmart and Sam’s Club associates from all over the world gathered here in Bentonville, AR for Associate’s Week. The spirit and energy that this annual event breathes into our collective hearts as Walmart and Sam’s Club associates cannot be overstated. It is invigorating to have so many people here in our relatively small city at the heart of Walmart, USA. It’s a richly diverse gathering, not just in terms of cultures and countries represented, but also in diversity of career journeys, life experience, educational backgrounds, and so much more. This was the first year I was able to attend the Associate Celebration that wraps up the week. I saw incredible entertainment (Lizzo, anyone??). I also heard from Paris Hilton and Robert Downy, Jr. about their products available at Walmart. I enjoyed the lighthearted antics of host Peyton Manning, hearing leaders from different parts of the company talk about our future, and seeing the unique things happening at various stores around the world. What was most impactful to me though, was the message from CEO Doug McMillon as he recognized three amazing associates for their dedication and the difference they make every day. He spoke about the impact of consistent effort towards achieving goals, the importance of celebrating wins and success, and the inspiration to be found in moving targets. I really needed that message. I’m personally coming out of the most difficult year of my professional life to date. That idea of “moving targets”, for whatever reason, really clicked and resonated with me. We have been experiencing a lot of change recently in Walmart Global Tech, some of it unprecedented for many of us. It’s been a challenge to stay optimistic and seek out success in times of uncertainty. It’s so easy to lose sight of positivity when things are happening around us that we can’t control. But there are always things we can control, even in the midst of the unknown. Through that lens, moving targets are a really positive thing - an opportunity for a different way of working, a chance to discover a spark of creativity, a moment to foster new ideas. Change can stifle us with fear, or motivate us towards evolution. The rest of this year, I will be working on the latter. Here’s to an incredible remainder of FY25 at Walmart. I look forward to what the future holds! #WMT2024

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Are you retail ready? Check out 3 quick tips on how to navigate AVS effectively ⤵️ 1. Monitor variations vigilantly to catch errors early 2. Ensure consistent backend attributes (Brand, Product Type, Item Keyword, Model Name) for grouped products 3. Maintain an up-to-date variation submission document to quickly rectify issues

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