Reading rank 430
John D. Rockefeller's Secret Weapon
, subject: John D. Rockefeller's transportation rebates, 1962
A tightly focused study of Rockefeller’s transportation rebate obsession and the discipline of treating one concern as the highest priority.
4
Coverage Score
1
Scored evidence
About the book
Published by McGraw-Hill in 1962, the book follows Standard Oil's conflict with the Pennsylvania Railroad, the creation and breakup of the Standard Oil Trust, and events including the Teapot Dome affair and wartime railroad nationalization.
Why read it
Best if you want to examine focus through a concrete case: Rockefeller’s sustained attention to a transportation rebate as his highest priority.
Key themes
- Focus made concrete
- A single issue as a test of priority
Evidence and original sources
This record is supported by 1 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.
- How Rockefeller Worked — David says this book is entirely about the transportation rebate and Rockefeller's obsession with it, reinforcing the theme of focusing on your highest priority.