Rockefeller Biography Review
I recently finished "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr" It's a fabulous book about the life and history of the man who captured the oil markets of the late 1800's.
An attribute of Mr. Rockefeller that rattles in my mind is the way he made decisions. He would fret for days and weeks about a decision, unsure if it would work out. However, once his mind was made up he would be fully committed to it's success and in many cases it was successful.
This strikes me in two ways:
It's comforting to know that it wasn't all smooth sailing despite looking back through the lens of history and seeing his success.
His success was predicated on careful evaluation of the facts and figures prior to committing.
When the prevailing wisdom within the technology industry (at least web circles) is move fast, iterate quickly, and change is good the notion of deliberation and consideration is overlooked.
Granted the oil industry is not only capital intensive, but also highly competitive. For the one Rockefeller there were countless others who failed to make any profit and ultimately folded.
Despite the differences between oil and software, I think there is a lesson to learn. For example, when choosing a database system, programming language, framework, or other key components of the system it would seem wise to deliberate and evaluate before making a decision.
Choosing the correct tools starts is based on the problem and approach to the solution. Carefully considering that problem and exploring the nuance of the solution before committing to that solution is worthwhile. Further, writing down the reasons why you are choosing, expected bumps, and anticipated benefits is nearly therapeutic.
This is psychological just as much as helpful reference material. When problems emerge you can refer back to your deliberation to remember the rationale for the choice. Let's be honest, you can't decipher the code you wrote yesterday let alone the why you structured your app the way you did six months ago.
Mr. Rockefeller has a complicated history. On the one hand his brilliance in evaluating risk, understanding people, patience in business, and unique managerial acumen built a global empire and offered a product that was useful and valuable. Further John Sr. dispensed of his wealth through massive philanthropic efforts unparalleled in his day. On the other he is criticized for being a greedy capitalist who swindled, cheated, stole, and ruined all that he touched.
Based on my years of experience thus far, I'm sure the history is far more complicated than we even know. But one thing is for sure, he made many correct decisions if you are aiming at wealth creation, growth, longevity, and domination in business. Regardless of what you think about Rockefeller he will go down in history as a most interesting man.