What helps teams truly connect with work? In the Season 1 finale, General Manager Ernie Smith draws on his experience as a nuclear engineer in the U.S. Navy and nearly a decade in Transportation Operations at Amazon to share how understanding the “why” matters. He and host, Donnie Iorez, discuss leading through change. Learn how to help teams connect to a shared purpose and when to step back, learn, and take a different path.

(00:00) Intro and Meet Ernie

(01:10) Leading Transportation Operations Management

(02:12) Building TOM From Scratch

(03:55) Navy Nuclear Engineer Roots

(06:57) Always Know the Why

(07:32) Intent vs. Compliance

(09:18) Managing From Afar

(10:22) Mastering Disagree and Commit

(13:47) The Regional Driver Pilot

(16:36) Rapid Reflections

(19:29) AI and Chat Agents

(20:31) Season One Wrap-Up

What changes when leaders shift from doing it all themselves to building trust with their teams? Anisa Gogaj, PXT director, shares how feedback, mentorship, and empathy shaped her leadership journey, from leading a single site to leading across multiple sites. She and host, Donnie Iorez, explore what it takes to scale your leadership. Discover how you can create an environment where your team feels supported and empowered to grow.

(00:00) Intro and Meet Anisa

(01:18) Day One Leadership Mindset

(02:58) The Self-Reflection Moment

(04:57) How Motherhood Changed Leadership

(07:50) It's a People Business

(08:52) Letting Go of Control

(11:09) How the Team Responded

(13:09) Learning From Her Team

(14:17) Closing and Thanks

How do leaders earn credibility with their teams? Area Manager Turner Humphrey shares his path from 17 years in the U.S. Marine Corps to Amazon Operations and discusses how communication and consistency have shaped his approach to leadership. He and host, Donnie Iorez, explore what it means to build trust in a new environment. Find out how you can build community through shared experience, and grow as a leader by learning to connect with people in different ways.

(00:00) Intro and Meet Turner

(00:52) From Marines to Amazon

(03:08) Finding Structure and Community

(04:18) The Desire to Lead

(05:42) Leaders Who Shaped Him

(07:35) Stepping Up During 2020

(09:57) Earning Trust Through Communication

(11:57) Leading the Warriors Community

(13:28) Authenticity and Final Thoughts

What happens when you give your team room to take risks and learn from mistakes? Crystal Alvarez, senior Operations manager, shares her journey from a 10-year career in accounting to Operations through Amazon’s Pathways program and discusses how giving teams space to make decisions can help build trust. Learn from Crystal and host, Donnie Iorez, about how authenticity and genuine connection can shape the way leaders show up for their teams every day.

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:25) Intro and Meet Crystal

(01:30) From Accounting to Amazon

(03:28) The Senior Operations Manager Role

(04:20) Why the Pathways Program Appealed

(05:23) Finding Joy in People

(07:27) Onboarding and Learning Departments

(08:39) Creating Freedom to Make Mistakes

(11:10) Showing Up Authentically

(12:28) Closing and Thanks

What can leaders learn by staying close to the work? Drawing on nearly two decades in Operations, Paul Pace, regional director, Operations, shares why some of the best opportunities to learn start with seeing the work firsthand. He and host, Donnie Iorez, explore how listening, being curious, and showing up consistently can help you better understand your teams and make more thoughtful decisions.

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:37) Intro and Meet Paul

(01:03) 16 Years at Amazon, 20+ Years Since Day One

(02:11) What Is Gemba

(03:05) Why Gemba Walks Matter

(05:03) The Box Shortage Story

(06:56) Gemba Done Right

(08:37) The B7 Chute

(11:51) Leaders Are Always Watched

(13:29) Real Leaders Pick Up Trash

(15:15) Closing and Thanks

How do leaders prepare for changing weatherconditions? Amazon Chief Meteorologist Josh Kastman and Regional Director Sonja Paige share perspectives from their experiences in Operations and discuss how weather information becomes actionable guidance. Learn what it takes to communicate clearly with teams throughout the process and explore how preparation and collaboration can support thoughtful decision-making at scale.

(00:00) Episode Intro

(00:49) Intro and Guest Welcome

(02:19) Why Amazon Has Meteorologists

(03:12) The Contingency Response Center (CRC)

(04:23) From the National Weather Service to Amazon

(06:18) Decision-Making Takes a Team

(08:08) Communicating Impact, Not Just the Forecast

(09:22) Bringing Clarity to Weather Communications

(11:00) Protocols and Standard Work

(12:47) Turning Weather Signals into Guidance

(14:31) Learning from Feedback

(15:59) Closing Thoughts and Thanks

Get a first look at From the Floor, a podcast featuring conversations with Operations leaders about the experiences that shaped how they lead. Hear from leaders across the first season as they share perspectives on building trust, staying close to the work, developing their teams, and the lessons they've picked up along the way.