Ex-Amazon VP breaks down how to win workplace politics

This article summarizes an episode of Ryan Peterman’s video series featuring Ethan Evans, a former VP at Amazon.

Former Amazon VP, Ethan Evans / Photo credit: Ethan Evans

Amazon operates as a technology corporation where securing a promotion often requires navigating internal politics. Ethan Evans, a former vice president at the company, warns that advancement often relies on a simple, easily manipulated metric instead of actual business results.

He explains that the actual method to secure a promotion is to manage a greater number of employees, forcing leaders to reconsider how they demonstrate success.

Evans believes professionals must understand this internal system to advance their careers. By planning an organizational structure strategically, managers can handle internal politics safely and ensure their work is recognized.

Evaluating leadership success

Measuring the actual impact of a leader is difficult because evaluations rely on personal opinion. To solve this, corporations turn to a more concrete metric: team size. This creates a clear numerical threshold for promotions and removes ambiguity in the review process.

He notes that corporations establish strict headcount requirements to filter candidates. Evans mentions that leaders he coached required a minimum of 80 to 90 reports to qualify for a director position.

Handling internal politics
With team size as the primary metric for advancement, the organizational chart turns into a political game. By planning departmental restructures, leaders actively help favored managers meet the specific numbers needed to trigger a promotion.

Evans notes, “I have talked to leaders whose boss, trying to get them across the threshold, was saying we are going to put these people under you for six months, check the box, and give them back to the person we took them from.”

He adds that this system is easy to manipulate. Executives temporarily transfer employees to inflate numbers, simultaneously moving poor performers out of the way to help their chosen candidates succeed during review cycles.

Navigating professional disagreements

When managers realize that promotions depend on these behind-the-scenes headcount deals, they often feel frustrated and want to demand fair treatment. However, arguing directly with superiors about these hidden systems damages career prospects and creates unnecessary enemies.

Instead of confronting leadership with anger, managers must state their requirements politely but firmly to avoid making others defensive.

Evans supports a communication style that remains friendly while establishing clear boundaries. He recalls telling his own manager, “I need to understand how important my career is to Amazon because my career is very important to me.”

While not an outright threat, Evans delivered a clear warning with a smile. This approach proves that maintaining professional composure while demanding respect forces management to take career aspirations seriously.

Managing a company restructure