Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs
Mr. Jobs founded Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, and built an early reputation for the company with the Apple II computer. After the Macintosh was introduced in 1984, the company's business stalled, and Mr. Jobs’ relationship with John Sculley, then Apple's chief executive, turned unpleasant. This disagreement ultimately ended with Mr. Jobs’ departing from Apple in 1985. The following year, with a small group of Apple employees, he founded NeXt Computer, which focused on the corporate computing market, without success. In 1986, he bought the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Inc. and re-established it as the independent animation studio Pixar. Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004 but underwent surgery to successfully remove the tumor. Jobs recently resumed his position as CEO of Apple after undergoing a liver transplant in April of 2009.
Mr. Jobs has long been known for his intense focus on product design and marketing, but since Apple introduced the iPod digital music player in October 2001, he has also come to represent what is trendy across many American and international cultures, in areas from business to music. Apple and Steve jobs have a mystique about them. They have been able to create unparalleled suspense and excitement around their events and products. (Bartiromo, 2009)
Jobs is also a mastery of the message. He rehearses over and over every line he and others utter in public about Apple and is careful to avoid overexposure, preferring only to speak when he has products to promote. (Lashinsky & Burke, 2009)His presentations have been known to be brilliant demonstrations of visual storytelling that motivates customers, employees, investors, and the entire computer industry. He ignites enthusiasm and is passionate about designing cool, fun, and easy-to-use computers, music players and phones.
I chose Jobs as my leader because I admire anyone who is passionate about their work and ideas and has the ability to gain the trust of others through their enthusiasm. Jobs has been known to be egotistical an arrogant. He is willful and controlling, but he brings out the highest potential in people, forcing them to work harder than they would have if not pushed. He is inspiring and innovative and I believe in him and his ideas because he presents them in such a way that they are hard not to believe and buy into. People with that much intensity about what they are doing intrigue me.
References:
Bartiromo, M. (2010). A Leader in Innovation: Steve Jobs and the Apple Mystique. Retrieved from CNBC.com, February 16, 2010, http://www.cnbc.com/id/32732973
Lashinsky, A., & Burke, D. (2009). The DECADE of STEVE. (Cover story). Fortune, 160(10), 92-100. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10:30, February 16, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs
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Steve Jobs certainly does have passion about his work and contagious enthusiasm. He also shares these aspects along with his innovative nature and support for Macintosh with Brendan Dawes.
ReplyDeleteDawes feels that the launch pad for his creative collaborations was the purchase of his first Macintosh computer.
Dawes uncovers the potential of creativity for people while Jobs uncovers potential in people.
I feel that Brendan Dawes and Steve jobs would be an unstoppable creative force behind Mac. I personally think that Jobs should give Dawes a call.