The people around me all seem to be discussing this wonderful post about Amazon.

The Secret to Amazons Success Internal APIs

There is a trap in all of this. This is not THE secret. It’s one of many. Let’s look at the things that have been presented and THE secret about Amazon…

• Internal APIs.
• Vertical Integration.
• Exploitation of warehouse workers.
• Automation.
• Going for growth not profits.
• Failing fast and often.
• A/B Testing in production.
• Agile Development.
• Predatory Pricing.
• Real-time measurement of employee’s productivity.

So if I had a company to run, what are the three things that I’d prioritise from the list of secrets.

• Internal APIs. Yes it makes the list after all that. Once a company reaches scale it needs to expose it’s parts so that it can be broken down into solvable problems.
• Continuous Improvement and LEAN production. The machine that changed the world.
• Agile Development and Automation everywhere.

All three of these things lead to feedback loops of improvement.

Things that don’t make the list, Stock Options, a big HQ, a good logo, a great TV ad, and many others!

If you didn’t know, there is an election in ten days. In the next 12 months there are many more around the world. A lot has been written, here is my 2 cents. This is a view heavily influenced by the recent death of Allister Sparks and the wonderful book he wrote about South Africa.

Remember that everyone involved is a real living breathing person capable of thought, compassion, and change. Real deep profound change.

So as we all vote in the next 12 months, in the US, Germany, France, and Spain. Remember to vote for the world that you want; independently of the obstacles and dangers along the road.

Looking only at the obstacles would have left Mandela as a political prisoner on island.