Lessons from Larry Ellison

Key Learnings from Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison's success can be attributed to a distinct set of principles that have guided his decisions and shaped Oracle's culture. These core philosophies offer valuable lessons for business and life.

Embrace a Fiercely Competitive Spirit: Ellison doesn't just compete; he plays to win and dominate the market. [5] He views business as a battlefield and believes in being on the offensive, constantly pushing to be number one. [5][6] This relentless drive has been a major force behind Oracle's sustained success against giants like Microsoft and SAP. [7]
Innovation is About Improvement, Not Invention: Ellison's philosophy is that you don't have to be the first to market, but you must be the best. [8] Oracle didn't invent the relational database, but it improved upon the concept to create the first commercially viable version. [9] This focus on relentless improvement over reinventing the wheel is a cornerstone of his strategy. [8]
Question Conventional Wisdom: A recurring theme in Ellison's life is his skepticism of experts and established norms. [3][10] He believes that true innovation comes from finding errors in conventional thinking and having the courage to challenge the status quo. [1][11] This independent thinking has allowed him to see opportunities where others saw none.
Take Calculated Risks and Be Bold: Ellison is known for his willingness to take significant, calculated risks. [1] From betting on the relational database model early on to spearheading Oracle's pivot to cloud computing, he has consistently made bold decisions that have kept the company at the forefront of technology. [7][8]
Focus on Building a Great Product: Ellison has always prioritized engineering and product development over marketing. [12] He believes that a superior product is the ultimate sales tool and has focused on hiring the best engineering talent to build world-class software.
Adaptability is Crucial for Survival: Despite his strong convictions, Ellison has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. [1][9] His early embrace of the internet and later, cloud computing, are prime examples of his capacity to pivot and position Oracle for future growth. [9]
Build a Strong, Talented Team: Ellison emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with A-players and is known for not tolerating mediocrity. [5][13] He believes in hiring the most intelligent and resilient people to drive the company's ambitious goals. [5]
Follow Your Own Path: A college dropout himself, Ellison is a firm believer in following one's own dreams rather than conforming to the expectations of others. [3][14] His USC commencement speech highlights his journey of self-discovery and the importance of finding work that you are passionate about. [15][16]

On Winning and Competition:

"I'm addicted to winning. The more you win, the more you want to win." [3][6]
"Winning is not enough. All others must lose." [6]
"It's not enough to be great; you have to be the best."
"Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. Sure, there's the talent, but there also has to be the will." [6]
"I enjoy the competition and the process of learning as we compete. The whole thing is just fascinating." [17]
"Being first is more important to me [than earning money]. I have so much money. Whatever money is, it's just a method of keeping score now. I mean, I certainly don't need more money." [3]
"I think I am very goal oriented. I'd like to win the America's cup. I'd like Oracle to be the No 1 software company in the world. I still think it is possible to beat Microsoft." [18]
"When you're the first person whose beliefs are different from what everyone else believes, you're basically saying, 'I'm right, and everyone else is wrong.' That's a very unpleasant position to be in." [6]
"Fun? You think we're here for fun? Do you think losing is fun? I don't. This is professional sports, not a third-grade T-ball game." [12]
"My job is to build better than the competition, sell those products in the marketplace and eventually supplant Microsoft and move from being number two to number one." [6]

On Innovation and Strategy:

"When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for people telling you that you are nuts." [3][6]
"If you do everything that everyone else does in business, you're going to lose. The only way to really be ahead, is to 'be different'."
"The only way to get ahead is to find errors in conventional wisdom."
"See things in the present, even if they are in the future." [6]
"To model yourself after Steve Jobs is like, 'I'd like to paint like Picasso, what should I do? Should I use more red?'" [3]
"Because software is all about scale. The larger you are, the more profitable you are." [6]
"Once open source gets good enough, competing with it would be insane." [6]
"AI is the most important technology of our time, and it will change the world more than anything it's seen before." [7]
"All you can do is every day, try to solve a problem and make your company better." [3]

On Leadership and Management:

"A corporation's primary goal is to make money. Government's primary role is to take a big chunk of that money and give it to others." [6]
"The most important aspect of my personality as far as determining my success goes has been my questioning conventional wisdom, doubting experts and questioning authority." [3][11]
"When I started Oracle, what I wanted to do was to create an environment where I would enjoy working. That was my primary goal." [12]
"You have to act and act now." [3][6]
"My goal was to create the perfect job for me…a job I truly loved. I never expected the company to grow beyond 50 people." [16][19]
"I was constantly learning. On the job training I think they call it. Every day I learned something new and interesting… something that I didn't know the day before." [16][19]
"You have to believe in what you do in order to get what you want." [3][6]
"Give me human will and the intense desire to win and it will trump talent every day of the week." [6]
"I think academic success is an advantage... but it by no means assured success in business." [10]
"When you live your life in different ways, it makes people around you become uncomfortable. So deal with it." [3]

On Life and Personal Philosophy:

"I have had all the disadvantages required for success." [3][6]
"Life's a journey. It's a journey about discovering limits." [3][6]
"Great achievers are driven, not so much by the pursuit of success, but by the fear of failure." [3][6]
"I believe people have to follow their dreams—I did." [3]
"You realize that life is short and fragile; and when you are facing walls of water, you understand how quickly your own mortality can change and things can change." [3][6]
"When I do something, it is all about self-discovery. I want to learn and discover my own limits." [3]
"Their dreams and my dreams were different. I would never confuse the two of them again." [19]
"I just could not make myself study something that didn't interest me." [16][19]
"Don't be afraid to experiment and try lots of different things." [20]
"If I were 21 years old, I would go into biotechnology or genetic engineering." [6]
"I think if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger." [4]
"You have to really go back to first principles and think things out for yourself." [11][20]
"After a certain point, it can't be about the money... In the end, the only practical option is to give nearly all of it away." [14]
"I was alone, and young and willful and unheeded…but I was happy…and near to the wild heart of life." [16]
"I don't know what I'll do when I retire. I just love competing as opposed to just going out and watching the sunset." [12][17]
"I love sailing. I like it more when I am winning." [18]
"You can't spend as much money as I have, even if you try. I've been trying." [6]
"The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion." [12]
"Bill Gates wants people to think he's Edison, when he's really Rockefeller." [12]
"In a constantly changing world, what is possible is a moving target." [20]

Learn more:

Lessons from Larry Ellison

Key Learnings from Larry Ellison

On Winning and Competition:

On Innovation and Strategy:

On Leadership and Management:

On Life and Personal Philosophy:

Written by Antoine Buteau

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