Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says attitude 'makes a big difference' at work

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said a good attitude and willingness to learn are important attributes for professionals looking to succeed in their careers.

"I think an embarrassing amount of how well you do, particularly in your 20s, has to do with attitude," Jassy told LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky in a video interview published last week. "Do you work hard? Are you more can do than naysaying? Do you do what you said you were gonna do? Can you work on a team?"

He said having a "great" attitude at work "makes a big difference" and is "very controllable," arguing it can help with finding professional mentors and supporters more easily. 

Being an "incredibly ravenous learner" can give people a leg up, Jassy further told Roslansky.

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"I think that the biggest difference between the people I started with in the early stages in my career and what they’re doing now, has to do with how great they were at learning," the Amazon CEO said.

Jassy suggested an openness to learning should continue over the course of someone’s career, saying, "The second you think you know it all is the second you’re really starting to unwind."

The comments came in response to a career advice question Roslansky had asked as part of a wide-ranging interview about Jassy’s career for the LinkedIn CEO’s "The Path" newsletter.

Jassy marked the latest executive to speak with Roslansky, who has also interviewed big wigs like Mark Cuban, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Satya Nadella. 

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During Jassy’s edition of "The Path," the Amazon CEO shared insight into various endeavors he was involved in prior to joining Amazon, including sportscasting, marketing and entrepreneurship, and into his professional journey within the company founded by Jeff Bezos. He started working at Amazon in 1997.

"I didn’t know that much about Amazon at the time," he said as he recounted being approached by Amazon for a job interview. "When I came, I loved it. I loved the people, I loved how smart they were, how motivated they were, and I thought I would take a shot."

Jassy took over the CEO role when Bezos left the position in 2021. Bezos holds the title of executive chair at the company.

"Andy is well known inside the company and has been at Amazon almost as long as I have," Bezos said in a 2021 email to employees announcing the CEO transition. "He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence."