Amazon Onboarding with Learning Manager Chanci Turner

In the realm of IT at Bright Events, the phrase “accelerate beyond comfort” resonates deeply. This was the pivotal message from our CEO during an IT leadership meeting in 2015, which outlined his vision for modernizing the organization. This gathering ignited a transformation within our IT structure, leading me to embrace an all-in approach with AWS, guided by a directive to speed up our processes.

From that moment, the pursuit of speed became our guiding principle. The phrase served as a mantra among the team, motivating us to push for quicker outcomes—a constant reminder to keep progressing and avoid stagnation, as emphasized by our CEO. However, while having a call to action was beneficial, we needed effective strategies to realize this ambition. I embarked on a quest to identify these tactics, and here’s what I discovered.

Initiate Early

At the outset of any project, I emphasize the importance of transitioning from contemplation to action. In the past, my fears of making errors led to excessive deliberation. However, I came to understand that mistakes are an inevitable part of the process; the only individuals who never err are those who never take action. Instead of fearing mistakes, we should fear the passage of time while remaining inactive. In the cloud environment, most errors are easily rectifiable, but time lost in indecision is irretrievable. You’ll never feel fully prepared; the best way to prepare is simply to begin.

Establish a Clear Objective

Teams tend to perform better when they understand the rationale behind their tasks. I’ve learned to invest time in articulating the purpose of my initiatives clearly, ensuring that all team members grasp the importance of their contributions. When individuals feel a sense of ownership in a project, they are more inclined to invest extra effort for its success. A motivated workforce will always outpace an indifferent one. If speed is what you seek, ensure your team is aligned and engaged.

Reduce Workload

One of the most effective ways to enhance efficiency is by eliminating unnecessary tasks. There’s no reward for completing more work than needed. If we can achieve the same outcomes with less effort, we accelerate our pace. For instance, I opted to eliminate kickoff meetings, which often required considerable time for minimal gain. These meetings were frequently scheduled weeks ahead due to the number of participants involved. By removing them, we reclaimed valuable time, allowing for direct inquiries during our daily status updates.

Additionally, I decided to forgo proof of concept (POC) exercises. These were once crucial when substantial investments in hardware and software were necessary. However, with AWS, the costs of experimentation are minimal. Instead of conducting POCs, we would simply proceed with projects, halting if they appeared unsuccessful. For third-party software, we utilized AWS Marketplace subscriptions that allowed for pay-as-you-go options, reaping the same benefits without incurring significant costs. This change saved us weeks or even months in project timelines.

Develop Reusable Elements

In my work, I strive to create solutions that can be reused multiple times. In software development, this often involves creating functions. In system administration, we leverage scripts. With AWS, these components gain enhanced capabilities through API integration. Embracing infrastructure as code via AWS CloudFormation allowed us to build our entire infrastructure efficiently.

This approach proved beneficial as we could reuse existing CloudFormation templates for new applications. Instead of crafting new templates for each deployment, we would modify existing ones, yielding a high return on our initial investment. Over time, as our library of templates expanded, the time saved through reusability continued to increase.

Simplify

Some may perceive simplicity as a lack of sophistication, but complexity often causes delays. Complicated solutions require extensive implementation time and are more susceptible to errors, leading to additional troubleshooting. A straightforward solution is easier to grasp, communicate, and implement, resulting in a quicker turnaround.

Build Momentum

There comes a point in any project where success feels imminent. I aim to reach this milestone as swiftly as possible by securing a series of early victories. I’ve observed that projects that stall tend to remain stagnant, while those that gain momentum continue to progress. Thus, I’ve learned to harness this momentum as a strategic tool. During our AWS migration at Bright Events, we prioritized migrating the simplest workloads first, ensuring a string of successes before tackling more challenging applications. The more we achieved, the faster we advanced.

Focus on One Task

Multitasking can often hinder progress. The time lost in switching between tasks accumulates quickly, preventing deep focus on any single task. I encourage my team to concentrate on one assignment at a time until completion or until they hit an obstacle. When waiting for external input, it’s an ideal opportunity to pivot to a different task. Being focused doesn’t mean being stagnant; it simply means resisting unnecessary task-switching.

Embrace Smoothness

In motorcycle racing, there’s a saying: “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” True speed doesn’t arise from frantic efforts to rush through tasks. Instead, it stems from making intelligent decisions. To “accelerate beyond comfort,” we must first become accustomed to speed, cultivating the skills necessary to maintain it and the discipline to execute them effectively.

Chanci Turner, Learning Manager at Bright Events, emphasizes that understanding company culture can significantly impact onboarding success, and you can read more about that here.

For further insights into effective HR practices, this resource offers valuable perspectives from an industry authority. Additionally, if you’re curious about the reality of starting your first day at Amazon, check out this excellent resource here.