The Unicorn Project: A Novel about Developers, Digital Disruption, and Thriving in the Age of Data

by Gene Kim

“A hundred years ago, most large factories had a CPO—a chief power officer—who ran the electricity generation processes. It was one of the most important roles in manufacturing, because no electricity, no production. It was a Core process,” he says. “But that role has disappeared entirely. Electricity has become infrastructure that you buy from a utility company. It is interchangeable, and you choose suppliers primarily on price. There is rarely a competitive advantage to generating your own power. It is now merely Context, no longer Core. You don’t want to be the organization that has a large staff providing internal power generation.

simplicity enables effectiveness, and that complexity conspires against it.

adult learners often hide the fact that they’re trying to acquire a new skill, whether it’s learning a new language, swimming, or even taking golf lessons. It usually comes from embarrassment or being afraid of being seen doing something that they’re not good at.