The Delivery Man
The Art to Turning Ideas into Products in Silicon Valley
The Delivery Man features a wealth of strategies and advice for those working within the field of technology.
Drawing on personal experiences, Sebastien Taveau’s informative business book The Delivery Man suggests methods for delivering information technology products to customers in difficult and challenging situations.
Taveau spent twenty-five years working in Silicon Valley, where he was part of projects with PayPal and worked on the Masters of Code project. In 2014, he was tapped to speak to bank executives and fintech entrepreneurs. The experience led him to develop the four “magic ‘I’s:” Invention, Innovation, Integration, and Imitation.
Exploring each I alongside complementary concepts, this book mixes practical and inspirational suggestions with thoughts on leadership, teams, and entrepreneurship, reminding leaders to avoid noise and to keep focused. Taveau’s own work history is used to illustrate his points, as of the importance of learning “what you are good at as soon as possible in your career and accept[ing] it even if it may not lead to your original dream.”
In the technology sector, Taveau says, good ideas often fail without delivery people to bring them into being. But visions that aren’t developed risk failing: “Silicon Valley is the graveyard of many ideas that never reached the market because of timing and delivery.” His book covers project development processes’ hidden traps, like undefined or ill-defined goals. Those who wish to succeed, the book says, should begin with their ends in mind—and should be prepared: “It’s going to be messy. Just accept it.”
While some of the book’s revelations are delayed, they are complemented by a detailed methodology, though one that uses a clunky acronym, SSOCCADD. Its steps include paying attention to situate the problem and controlling and communicating about outcomes. Of most use are the takeaways that conclude each chapter and that help to clarify the book’s messages. Humor also makes the book approachable: here, there are three types of managers (“the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Donkey”). And Taveau is a humble guide whose recollections humanize his recommendations. He names his past struggles to showcase the perils and promise of working with capable teams and inspiring visionaries. Diagrams are present to clarify some material, too. Still, some familiarity with the world that he describes is presumed; some of his insights will be of most use to technology insiders. Others will find it to be a fascinating glimpse into the world of big tech.
Forwarding thoughtful advice on how to develop projects from start to finish, The Delivery Man is a business book featuring a wealth of strategies and advice for those working within the field of technology.
Reviewed by
Jeremiah Rood
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
