Apple- Will It Survive Under Tim Cook?
Jobs’ Passing Will Have No Effect on Apple’s Trajectory
Apple - Oct 5th 2011: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life” –Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford Commencement Ceremony
The world lost a luminary when Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011. Jobs was a visionary leader and is often credited for Apple’s amazing turnaround in the mid-nineties. For many years, the world perceived Jobs and Apple as integrally linked. As a result, consumers and investors now question Apple’s future and worry that the company cannot survive without Jobs. Since Jobs’ passing, Tim Cook has been tasked to continue Apple’s success. While Apple could potentially suffer long-term consequences from this switch, the more probable alternative is that the company will prosper because Cook is stronger leader than Jobs and can elevate Apple to a 10x level.
Leadership DNA and the Collins 10X characteristics:
Vital characteristics of a Level 5 leader include a strong belief in intuition, extreme perseverance towards vision, and empathy for team members by relying on emotional intelligence. While Jobs succeeded in many of these areas, he did not possess the entire package of leadership skills. Jobs was widely quoted for saying, “Most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” This persevering attitude and strong sense of intuition helped make Apple the successful company that it is today. But Jobs was also known for showing little concern for the emotional needs of team members. According to Fortune, he was “considered one of Silicon Valley's leading egomaniacs.” This lack of empathy prevented Jobs from being a Level 5 leader. According to Collins, the leaders who run 10x companies “display extreme consistency of action with values, goals, performance standards and methods” Jobs definitely fit these criteria and was known for being fanatical about discipline. He maintained the highest
Apple - Oct 5th 2011: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life” –Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford Commencement Ceremony
The world lost a luminary when Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011. Jobs was a visionary leader and is often credited for Apple’s amazing turnaround in the mid-nineties. For many years, the world perceived Jobs and Apple as integrally linked. As a result, consumers and investors now question Apple’s future and worry that the company cannot survive without Jobs. Since Jobs’ passing, Tim Cook has been tasked to continue Apple’s success. While Apple could potentially suffer long-term consequences from this switch, the more probable alternative is that the company will prosper because Cook is stronger leader than Jobs and can elevate Apple to a 10x level.
Leadership DNA and the Collins 10X characteristics:
Vital characteristics of a Level 5 leader include a strong belief in intuition, extreme perseverance towards vision, and empathy for team members by relying on emotional intelligence. While Jobs succeeded in many of these areas, he did not possess the entire package of leadership skills. Jobs was widely quoted for saying, “Most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” This persevering attitude and strong sense of intuition helped make Apple the successful company that it is today. But Jobs was also known for showing little concern for the emotional needs of team members. According to Fortune, he was “considered one of Silicon Valley's leading egomaniacs.” This lack of empathy prevented Jobs from being a Level 5 leader. According to Collins, the leaders who run 10x companies “display extreme consistency of action with values, goals, performance standards and methods” Jobs definitely fit these criteria and was known for being fanatical about discipline. He maintained the highest