This random memory came up as I was about to sleep, and I thought of writing it down for clearer recall.
At the turn of the millennium, an organization approached us with an urgent problem. Their legacy database system had reached its limits—it couldn’t scale to meet their growing needs or support a new requirement: GIS mapping.
We saw an opportunity to help. We proposed migrating their data to SQL, the gold standard for scalability and reliability at the time. This wasn’t just about solving their immediate issue—it was about setting them up for long-term success. As a gesture of goodwill and commitment to nation-building, we offered to handle the system development and data migration at no cost.
The meeting went well. Both sides were energized, imagining how this transformation could empower their organization. The future looked bright—until their consultant arrived.
The consultant entered with a hot air of authority. Without much discussion, they dismissed the project outright, saying, “Any Tom, Dick, and Harry can create a database.”
In that moment, the energy in the room shifted. What had been an optimistic atmosphere turned cold. The consultant’s veto was final, and the project was dead before it could begin. We left and never returned.
Years later, we heard the organization had been significantly delayed in modernizing their systems. The consultant, who had blocked the project, remained in their role until retirement, holding firm to their gatekeeping position. By the time progress could resume, the momentum—and perhaps the opportunity—had been lost.
Reflecting on this experience, the lesson is clear: dismissing expertise can come at a high cost. Progress isn’t just about having the right tools—it’s about trusting the right people to implement them.
