Amazon VP's '1-sentence litmus test' to decide if a person should be promoted
Securing a promotion in any job can often be harder than it seems, but those looking to climb the corporate ladder at Amazon will need to pass a one-sentence litmus test implemented by one of the company's vice presidents.
Most people looking for a promotion in high-level roles at a company like Amazon are already qualified, so it can often come down to a deciding tie-breaker question to split the difference between two candidates with equal experience.
Shared by former Amazon VP Ethan Evans on LinkedIn, who worked at the tech giant for over 15 years before concluding in the Prime Gaming division, this litmus test relates to how the prospective promotion candidate makes other employees feel in the workplace.
Their peers and colleagues will be asked the following: "Do your spirits lift or sag when the person enters the room?"
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This is seemingly the last thing that's asked in the interview process, as it reflects on their attitude overall irrespective of their suitability for the role, as that is where some equally shine or falter — especially in a slower-growth environment according to Evans.
"The reason is that a person can be smart and capable, but still unpleasant to work with," the former VP illustrates. "Emotional energy is limited, so the energy that someone brings to their leaders, teammates, and reports is a real and valid promotion criteria."
After all, experience and qualifications are worth very little if nobody actually wants to work with you, as "at the highest levels, you need exceptional skills and an exceptional attitude to be promoted."
Evans notes that "someone who saps energy from a room through constant criticism, nitpicking, or negativity is a liability, no matter how 'talented' they may be. On the other hand, someone who brings excitement and empowerment to the team is a resource."
It also implicitly encourages people to improve their attitude at work outside of promotional windows, which is likely to have a positive knock-on effect to the positivity and performance of the team in the long-term.
One area that Evans speculates could be letting many candidates down when it comes to attitude is the obsession with being 'right', as "everyone loves to have the sharpest insight, and sometimes this leads to overwhelming or unnecessary naysaying.
"The important thing to remember is that just because you are right does not mean that your input is welcome. Criticism without a solution or an offer to help makes you feel clever but it also makes you unpleasant to work with," he continuned.
He notes that it's something he's personally struggled with over the years, and has remedied it by asking himself how he can help the person he's criticising succeed — bringing more positive energy to the room as a result.
It's not the only thing that Evans has been challenged by during his time at Amazon, as he previously noted how difficult it was to be the person to tell Jeff Bezos 'no', despite the company's founder specifically asking staff to do that during board meetings.