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Steve jobs and critical thinking.

Given his uncertain position at the time, it wasn’t surprising that Steve was the more volatile participant. He was willing to admit a few mistakes , even allowing that Bill was correct in saying that Apple should have taken the IBM PC more seriously. Then he took that thought further. “The singular event that defined Apple’s place in the industry in the 1980s was actually not the Macintosh,” he announced. “That was a positive event. The negative event that defined Apple’s place was the Apple III. It was the first example I’d seen in my career of a product taking on a life of its own and developing way beyond what was necessary to satisfy customer demand. The project took eighteen months more than we’d planned and was overdesigned and cost a little too much. It’s interesting to speculate what would’ve happened if the Apple III had come out right, as a lean, mean upgrade to the Apple II that offered incremental features that made it more suitable for business. [Instead,] Apple left a real hole.” Later, he made clear that much of the blame could be laid at his feet : “One of the reasons that the Apple III had problems was that I grabbed some of the best people from that project to do research on how to turn what I saw at Xerox [PARC] into reality.”

It was a fascinating admission. Steve was never much for looking back at his own mistakes , and yet during this very public conversation with a friend whom everyone but Jobs now acknowledged as the leader of the computer industry, he was downright contrite. Later in the conversation, he even pulled out a story he’d ripped from the pages of Newsweek to make sure that Bill wasn’t offended by the author’s claim that Steve was no longer his friend. “I tore this out and I was going to call you before I knew we were getting together,” he said, brandishing the page like a trial attorney. “This is not true at all, and I have no idea where they got that.”

Theirs was a quiet, sincere friendship, enabled in great part by Catmull’s maturity. “Steve and I never argued,” he says. “We had disagreements; I won several and he won several. But even early on, when he wasn’t particularly skilled at dealing with relationships, I always felt that he was talking about a topic, not about who was right or who was wrong. For a lot of people, their egos are tied up in an idea and it gets in the way of learning. You have to separate yourself from the idea. Steve was like that.”

The two men would eventually know each other and work together for twenty-six years. Catmull says he saw enormous changes over the years, but allows that this, too, was something Steve would never acknowledge. “I look at Steve as someone who was actually always trying to change, but he didn’t express it in the same ways as others, and he didn’t communicate with people about that. He really was trying to change the world. It didn’t come across as him being personally introspective.”

[Steve Jobs] believed that Amelio, who ascended to the CEO position after just one year on the board, had maneuvered himself into the gig by positioning himself as a turnaround expert. “But how can he be a turnaround expert,” Steve asked me, “when he eats his lunch alone in his office, with food served to him on china that looks like it came from Versailles?”

The four men became the core of what Catmull calls the Brain Trust—a collection of Pixar writers, directors, and animators who provide constructive criticism to the director of every Pixar movie. It’s a unique idea—the Brain Trust has no authority whatsoever, and the directors are only asked to listen and deeply consider the advice of its members. It became a powerful tool, helping to reshape movies like The Incredibles and Wall-E. But Steve was never a part of it. Catmull kept him out of those discussions, because he felt that Steve’s big personality would skew the proceedings.

Steve had his own misgivings about Toy Story’s commercial potential, mainly based upon what he was hearing from Disney’s marketers. “Disney came to do a big presentation to us about the marketing,” remembers Lasseter. “They told us they had a big promotional plan with Sears. Steve looks around the room and goes, ‘Has anybody in this room been into a Sears lately? Anybody.’ No one raises a hand. ‘Then why are we making a deal with Sears? Why are we not going for products we like? Can’t we be doing a deal with Rolex? Sony high-end audio equipment?’ And their answer was basically, ‘Um, um, this is what we do!’ He poked holes in every one of their ideas. He was just so logical. Why associate ourselves with products we can’t stand?” (In the end, the most prominent sponsor would turn out to be Burger King.)

In early 1998, just a few months after his return to Apple, he asked his chief information officer, Niall O’Connor, to come up with a proposal for an online store where Apple could sell its computers directly to customers, much like Dell Computer was doing then with such great success. O’Connor asked Eddy Cue, who was then an IT technician in the human resources division, to sketch out an initial version of what the store might look like from a programmer’s perspective. “I don’t think Niall thought I was his best person,” says Cue, “but he did think I could deal with Steve, for some reason.” Cue, who had never met Steve and knew little about e-commerce or retailing, sought advice from a number of people, including head of sales Mitch Mandich. “Give him your best ideas,” Mandich told him, “but it won’t matter because we’ll never do it. It would piss off the channels [the stores and distributors that had traditionally sold Apple’s computers].” One week later, Cue, O’Connor, Mandich, and others attended a meeting to review the initial proposal. Cue handed his presentation to Steve—he’d made it visual, because everyone had told him that Steve preferred visual presentations, and he’d put it on paper, because everyone had told him Steve hated sitting through slides, especially in small meetings. All the research seemed to have gone for naught. Steve looked at his pages, handed them back, and said, “These suck.” Despite his gruff initial reaction, Steve asked the others in the room about Cue’s proposal, and about the basic idea of selling direct to customers online. The executives around the table started to talk about all the problems they could foresee with an online store—tying customized purchases into a manufacturing system that had been built to create computers with standardized configurations; not having any research indicating that customers actually wanted to buy computers this way; and, most worrisome, the potential for alienating Apple’s existing retail partners, like Best Buy and CompUSA. Mandich, who was senior enough to know that an interesting discussion was developing, kept silent. Finally, one of the senior guys opposing the idea spoke up. “Steve,” he asked, “isn’t this all pointless? You’re not going to do this—the channel will hate it.” Cue, who didn’t know any better, turned to him immediately. “The channel?” he exclaimed. “ We lost two billion dollars last year! Who gives a fuck about the channel? ” Steve perked up. “You,” he said, pointing at the senior exec, “are wrong. And you,” he continued, looking at Cue, “are right.” By the end of the meeting, he had asked Cue and O’Connor to create an online store where buyers could customize their purchases—and to have it completed in two months. The online store went up on April 28, 1998. As Cue prepared to drive home that evening, he walked past Steve’s office to tell him they’d sold more than a million dollars’ worth of computers in just six hours. “That’s great,” said Steve. “Imagine what we could do if we had real stores.” Nothing would ever be enough, Cue realized. He liked the challenge.

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Intelligence

Steve jobs leveraged his intelligence to more effectively create, steve jobs's life might inform the age old creativity and intelligence debate.

Posted October 22, 2011

I am not a genius so I have no idea how geniuses think. However, some people think Steve Jobs was a genius, so perhaps we can learn from his life experience.

Shortly after the great Jobs passed away, Google news showed over 10,000 media sources covering the loss of the monumental tech icon. Although the tsunami of interest has now subsided to smaller waves, his life story and the products that bear his creative signature will continue to make ripples for many years to come.

The Importance of the Arts in Innovation

One widely discussed aspect of Jobs' life is that after dropping out of college, he started dropping in on creative classes , which likely influenced the eventual aesthetics of Apple products. Perhaps this shows the potential importance of the role of arts education in technological innovation.

John M. Eger , a distinguished professor at San Diego State University who was an advisor to two U.S. presidents, has written a timely book titled Arts Education and the Innovation Economy: Ensuring America's Success in the 21 st Century . This work appears to be relevant to the idea that Jobs' coursework in the arts influenced his capacity to innovate.

Eger also recently wrote an interesting article on The Huffington Post titled Debate Over Intelligence and Creativity Holds Little Relevance writing that "an age old question has been raised anew in the last few weeks."

The question is: What is the relationship between intelligence and creativity ?

Eger notes that "What makes all this so important is simply that creativity is now widely recognized as one of the most important ingredients to success in the new economy."

I couldn't agree more. In their most recent book, That Used To Be Us , Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum highlight repeatedly that what matters is the ability to create and out innovate our nation's competition in the coming years. Eger thinks that the age old debate over intelligence and creativity holds little relevance. I think that this debate holds a great deal of relevance, and I'm going to explain why.

We Know How to Measure Intelligence Quite Well

For whatever reason, there is a widespread public belief that we don't know how to measure intelligence and creativity very well. The truth is that we have over a century of research demonstrating that we know how to measure intelligence quite well (see The g Factor by Arthur R. Jensen which illustrates a quantitative definition of intelligence that is widely-although not universally-accepted in the intelligence community). It's creativity that we don't have a reasonable consensus on how to assess. And it all comes down to psychological measurement, and specifically the concepts of reliability and validity.

A Short (and Simplified) Primer on Psychological Measurement

The tricky part of measurement in psychology (or psychometrics) is that we can only get indirect measures of what we call constructs (such as intelligence or creativity), which are theoretical entities. What we use to get at these constructs are (imperfect) instruments like an intelligence or standardized test or a test with items intending to measure creativity. In psychometrics, two key concepts are reliability and validity. In order to have "construct validity," which basically means the theoretical construct actually exists and is not just this concept floating around in our heads, at the very least we need to know that a measure of this construct is both reliable and valid. Reliability is basically the idea that if we take a test more than one time, our score will be about the same each time. If a test is not reliable, then the test cannot have validity. Validity is basically the idea that the test is valid for predicting certain outcomes. A test is valid in the sense that it can be used to predict some real world outcomes such as earning a Ph.D., patent, publication, or even tenure at a top U.S. university. What my colleagues and I have shown in our research is that the math portion of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) can be used to validly predict these outcomes, which are clearly important innovation benchmarks for the economy.

Why this is relevant to the age old intelligence and creativity debate is that intelligence tests have been widely demonstrated to be both reliable and valid for predicting important real world outcomes. However, it is not as clear whether creativity researchers have reached reasonable consensus on 1. a definition of creativity (verbal or quantitative in nature) and 2. a reliable and valid measure of creativity that predicts important real world outcomes.

The Jangle Fallacy: What You Call Something Doesn't Make It So

"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." -attributed to Abraham Lincoln

In my article If You Are Creative, Are You Also Intelligent? I mentioned that using two different terms doesn't necessarily mean you're talking about two entirely different things. This comes from Truman Kelly's jangle fallacy , or "the use of two separate words or expressions covering in fact the same basic situation, but sounding different, as if they were in truth different." The key take home message of Kelly's insight is this: What we choose to name or label a construct is largely independent of what we are actually able to measure when we use a test to assess the construct.

For example, I can come up with the term creative intelligence and tell you how important creative intelligence is for the future of innovation. I personally think it sounds quite compelling (and I'm probably not the first person to use this term). But it really does not matter whether I have come up with this fancy term. What does matter is whether or not I can actually reliably and validly measure this psychological construct I've now invented. And perhaps even more importantly, what if the test I invent to measure creative intelligence just ends up measuring intelligence to a large degree? I certainly would not want, if I could help it, to reinvent the wheel.

Eger noted that "We may never figure out how to measure creativity—although some states are trying."

I think what is more critical than ever is to figure out how much overlap there is between intelligence and creativity (and correspondingly how much and where they do not overlap). That's why Emily Nusbaum and Paul Silvia's work is so critical because they are pursuing the question: Are intelligence and creativity really so different? The flipside of this question is: Are intelligence and creativity really so much the same? And perhaps even more important is the question: How critical is intelligence for the various domains of creativity? We know that intelligence is likely important for any field of creativity that requires a cognitive component or problem solving, but is it also important for areas in the arts? Howard Gardner once noted that he thought the individuals profiled in his excellent book Creating Minds (which included people from the arts) likely all had to have an IQ of at least 120 which indicates they were at least in the top 10% of ability.

by Jonathan Mak

The Importance of Leveraging Your Intelligence to Be More Creative

Intelligence and creativity are both important for the future of our country as so many scholars and writers have pointed out. What we need to figure out is the extent to which creativity measures add something over and above intelligence measures because intelligence measures are what have already been well established. If we can find aspects of creativity that can be reliably and validly measured and predict real world outcomes that matter (over and above intelligence measures), then we might have something really powerful in our hands.

After all, Steve Jobs clearly had exceptional intelligence , but maybe it was his creative training in the arts that allowed him to leverage that intelligence in a way that was clearly unique and personal and gave him that special edge. Perhaps this is nicely captured in the popular writer Douglas Eby's recent book Developing Multiple Talents: The Personal Side of Creative Expression .

However, I think the primary reason we need to better understand the relationship between intelligence and creativity is so that we can see how the power of raw intelligence can be most effectively and creatively amplified.

In that sense, we can definitely learn from the life experience of Steve Jobs.

© 2011 by Jonathan Wai

You can follow me on Twitter , Facebook , or G+ . For more of Finding the Next Einstein: Why Smart is Relative go here .

Note: Steve Jobs likely had an IQ roughly 160 or above. In Walter Isaacson's biography , near the end of 4th grade Jobs was tested. Jobs said: "I scored at the high school sophomore level." This means he was a 4th grader performing at the 10th grade level. The average 4th grader is 9 or 10 years old and the average 10th grader is 15 or 16 years old. Using the standard mental age/chronological age x 100 = IQ formula , we can create rough boundaries . Lower bound: 15/10 x 100 = 150 IQ. Upper bound: 16/9 x 100 = 178 IQ. Average of the bounds is 164 IQ. Of course, if Jobs was a young 4th grader then his IQ would be even higher. Steve Jobs clearly had exceptional intelligence, regardless of what his exact IQ score was. This makes sense, considering that Bill Gates , the other wunderkind, said "Software is an IQ business."

Jonathan Wai, Ph.D. , is Assistant Professor of Education Policy and Psychology and the 21st Century Endowed Chair in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas.

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How To Think Critically Like Steve Jobs

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You draw conclusions about the world using critical thinking. They're also everything you need for a human brain, so it's good you have them. Critical thinking can rust if it's not used. If that happens, you risk bad ideas and poor decisions, which nobody wants. Here are three simple habits to improve your critical thinking like Steve Jobs did while creating Apple.

Define clearly what you mean by a question and your assumptions

First, define your question and assumptions clearly. This commonsense approach has two benefits. First, it clarifies which relevant assumptions can be tested or confirmed. Second, it identifies assumptions that aren't needed to answer the question. You may make unexpected discoveries.

Take a step back and look at the big picture

Details can obscure the whole. Different perspectives help solve problems. Ask for input and consider different angles. Before deciding, weigh pros and cons. Consider the long-term effects of your choices (like an upcoming presentation). Consider whether there are better alternatives than what you or others have proposed (and if so, which should be used). Consider how each solution addresses this and future situations (and whether any additional training for those situations would be helpful).

Challenge your assumptions

Your thinking rests on assumptions. They're the fundamental beliefs you hold about a situation, person, or idea. Assumptions can be dangerous because we don't question them; we just believe them.

You may think this is fine because it helps us form quick opinions and judgments, but false assumptions can lead to bad decisions — and even wrong ones.

Clarify your meaning, reflect, and challenge yourself to improve your critical thinking.

Critical thinking helps you understand the world. Many people lack these communication and problem-solving skills. They may rely on instinct or experience without questioning their thinking.

A person with critical thinking skills will carefully consider their assumptions and beliefs before acting on them. They'll also consider several possible solutions before choosing one and evaluating it based on evidence, not emotions. Critical thinkers can make better decisions, from buying a car to choosing a career path for long-term happiness.

There are no shortcuts to improving critical thinking. Thinking critically takes time, effort, and a commitment to intellectual growth. Using precise language when asking questions, stepping back to see the big picture, and challenging assumptions will help you become a better critical thinker.

Rehman Deraiya

CURATOR'S NOTE

Steve Jobs wasn't an ordinary entrepreneur. He was a visionary. His products changed the world, and his thinking changed how we live. You can learn a lot from him, but first you have to learn how to think critically…

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Steve Jobs Systematically Cultivated His Creativity. You Can Too. What Jobs did intuitively to unlock his creativity has been scientifically proven to work.

By Derek Doepker • Aug 3, 2017

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The Apple brand is synonymous with creative product design as well as appealing to the creative artist. This was in large part thanks to the work of Steve Jobs , whose creativity was a guiding force in his approach to leadership, product design and marketing. While there's no doubt that Jobs had a naturally creative brain, thanks to modern research, we can see that Jobs' artistry was also due to practices every entrepreneur can adopt to enhance creative thinking.

Enhancing creativity is especially important in today's dynamic technological world. A company that fails to continuously innovate will quickly become obsolete. Creativity is essential for entrepreneurs to guard against disruption and maintain relevance. Here are three methods that Jobs used to enhance his creativity that you can immediately implement to increase your problem solving abilities and innovative thinking.

Related: 3 Surprising Ways to Unlock Your Creativity

Pursuing diverse interests.

After dropping out of college, Jobs decided to pursue classes that interested him, such as calligraphy. While there was no foreseeable practical purpose to taking this class, in his famous Stanford commencement speech , he shared how that class was responsible for the Macintosh's beautiful typography.

Jobs said, "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while."

Research backs up what Jobs intuitively understood. Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman says that openness to new experience is the strongest personality trait for predicting creative achievement . "Thinking outside the box" may more accurately be understood as "Drawing from different boxes." It appears that a "jack of all trades" may in fact be a potential master of creativity, and this explains why Jobs praised liberal arts and humanitie s.

While openness to new experiences may be a personality trait established by early adulthood, everyone can choose to explore new experiences. Taking a note from Jobs, the key is to not limit one's criteria to what's immediately practical. Rather, the aim should be challenging yourself to explore experiences that simply pique your interest. Study businesses that are unrelated to your own. Occassionally change your routines to unlock new discoveries.

We can also learn from Jobs about staying focused in light of diverse pursuits. He said, "Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things." While it's beneficial to juggle a variety of interests up to a point, this must be balanced with the discipline to say "no" to what could ultimately become distractions from one's top priorities.

Related: 6 Habits That Took These Titans to the Top

In the book Becoming Steve Jobs , Brent Schlender notes that Jobs often took brainstorming walks with others. Research now confirms that Jobs' walks can help unlock creative insights.

In the book Neurowisdom , neuroscience researchers Mark Waldman and Chris Manning show the difference in brain activity between the "decision making mind" and the "creative mind." When one is focused on a task and working on completing a goal, he or she is using the decision making mind. "Aha moments" often come when one takes a break from a task and engages the creative mind by allowing for mind-wandering activities like daydreaming. According to Stanford research , walking can boost creative output by 60 percent.

Entrepreneurs can use walking, both alone and in groups, to boost their creative thinking. When stuck on a task with no apparent solution, a short walk can be the perfect catalyst to trigger an "aha" insight. If walking isn't an option, an alternative way to engage the creative mind is taking a short break from being task focused to allow yourself time for relaxation and daydreaming.

Related: 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Team Healthier and More Productive

After dropping out of Reed College, Jobs spent a few months in India where he discovered and embraced Zen Buddhist meditation practices. Jobs was so enraptured with Zen that he considered moving to Japan to further his practice.

Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson, "If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes things worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there's room to hear more subtle things -- that's when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more."

Jobs' meditation practice helped him develop creativity. Meditative practices, such as "open-monitoring training," encourage divergent thinking , a process of allowing the generation of many new ideas, which is a key part of creative innovation.

Particular meditation practices not only enhance creativity, but can also help develop empathy . It was Jobs' empathy with customers that gave him insight into delivering what they wanted, even if the customers weren't able to describe what they desired. Entrepreneurs can practice mindfulness meditation to enhance their creativity, increase emotional intelligence and reduce stress.

While Jobs' genius can't be boiled down to only three practices, what we do know is that greater inspiration is available when we understand how to tap into the creative mind. As entrepreneurs, we can also learn from Jobs to hire those who bring a new perspective and creativity that we lack. Collaboration , conducted in the correct way , is another critical component for creative breakthroughs.

Apply these three practices, and introduce them to your team to get the creative edge you need in today's demanding marketplace.

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Steve Jobs: seven ways he taught us to 'think different'

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

- From a 2007 Apple commercial

Steve Jobs proved them all wrong. He was the anti-technocrat -- an artist, entrepreneur, dreamer, revolutionary. He shook the business world out of its coma and made business fun. And made technology fun.

Here are seven ways Jobs taught us to "think different:"

Think big: The world needs visionaries who want to make it a better place. Steve Jobs didn't set out to build a better word processor or a more feature-rich cell phone. He wanted nothing less than to bring the power of computing to improve the lives of every human being on earth. He succeeded.

Follow your instincts: Be that unconventional, against-the-grain thinker who refuses to listen to the naysayers and follow their own instincts. For years, any self-respecting computer industry leader ran away from hardware as fast as he or she could in the belief that software should run on any kind of commodity hardware. Steve Jobs rejected this conventional wisdom, strongly believing that elegant software needs to go hand in hand with elegant hardware to deliver the most profound user experience. Rightly or wrongly, few in the industry, to this day, think like that.

Adopt unconventional, or even "impractical," perspectives to problems: Jobs said the calligraphy courses he took during his shaky tenure at Reed College gave him the inspiration years later to design the typography into the Mac computer -- at a time when all computers were DOS or green-screen command-line interfaces.

Don't be afraid of failure: Often, they fail, but some break through, and when they do, it results in smarter solutions for all. Jobs was actually fired from Apple back in the 1980s, which created new opportunities for growth and discovery for Jobs -- and enriched his creativity and design sense when he returned and revived the company in the late 1990s.

Upset the status quo: The world needs visionaries not afraid to stand up against vested interests and tired old ways of doing things. The greatest innovations are those that changed the way we looked at problems, and disrupted the old models.

Be optimistic about the future: Jobs was not one to run and hide in a bunker when times got rough. He did not look at the world as a deteriorating, hopeless place. He believed in the resiliency of people to persevere and do the right things.

Keep it personal: Passion drove Jobs' success. He expressed this passion in his 2005 Stanford University commencement speech :

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

The Apple commercial script referenced above is the perfect description for Steve Jobs himself. He pushed the human race forward. Some may have seen him as crazy, but ultimately it was genius. The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. And he did.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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Steve Jobs and Management by Meaning

• Roberto Verganti

Steve Jobs has always been considered an anomaly in management; his leadership style was something to admire or to criticize, but definitely not to replicate. He did not fit into the frameworks of business textbooks: there was orthodox management, and then there was Steve Jobs. The reason why institutional management theories have always looked at […]

Steve Jobs has always been considered an anomaly in management; his leadership style was something to admire or to criticize, but definitely not to replicate. He did not fit into the frameworks of business textbooks: there was orthodox management, and then there was Steve Jobs.

• Roberto Verganti is a professor of leadership and innovation at the Stockholm School of Economics and a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School. He is the author of Overcrowded: Designing Meaningful Products in a World Awash with Ideas and Design Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean .

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Exploring Steve Jobs’ Unique Personality Traits and Psychology

• 01/18/2024 01/18/2024

Steve Jobs, the iconic co-founder of Apple Inc ., exhibited a complex psychological profile shaped significantly by his early life experiences and family dynamics. Born to a Syrian father and American mother, he was adopted shortly after birth. This aspect of his upbringing likely had a profound impact on his psychological development. Adoption can sometimes create feelings of abandonment or issues with self-identity in the adopted child. For Jobs, it seems to have fostered a relentless pursuit of excellence and a deep-seated need for control, possibly as a means to assert his identity and value.

Moreover, the nurturing environment provided by his adoptive parents, especially his adoptive father, played a crucial role in shaping his interests and ambitions. His father’s background as a mechanic and carpenter instilled in Jobs an appreciation for craftsmanship, detail, and design. This upbringing likely contributed to his later insistence on high-quality, well-designed products. It’s a classic example of how parental influence can significantly shape a child’s interests and career trajectory.

Table of Contents

Personality Traits and Behavioral Patterns

Steve Jobs was known for his intense personality and demanding leadership style , characterized by his perfectionism, extraordinary focus, and extreme dedication. These traits, while contributing to his immense success, also created challenges in his interpersonal relationships. Jobs’s perfectionism often led to him being highly critical of others’ work, which, while driving innovation, also created a highly stressful work environment.

His focus and dedication were evident in his ‘reality distortion field,’ a term used by his colleagues to describe his ability to convince himself and others to believe almost anything, using charisma, bravado, and relentless optimism. This trait was a double-edged sword; it allowed him to inspire his team to achieve the impossible but also led to unrealistic expectations and burnout.

Moreover, Jobs’s behavior can be analyzed through the lens of the Big Five personality traits model. He exhibited high levels of openness (creative and open to new experiences), conscientiousness (detail-oriented and organized), and extraversion (energetic and assertive), but possibly lower levels of agreeableness (challenging and critical) and emotional stability (prone to mood swings and emotional outbursts).

Professional Relationships and Leadership Style

Steve Jobs’s professional relationships were marked by his intense, often mercurial leadership style. He was known for his ability to charm and captivate, as well as his tendency to be brusque and even harsh with colleagues and employees. This dichotomy reflects a complex interaction of high self-confidence and, potentially, a deep-seated insecurity stemming from his adoption and feelings of abandonment.

His approach to leadership was unconventional. Jobs was not a leader who sought consensus or relied heavily on delegation. Instead, he was deeply involved in every aspect of Apple’s operations, often pushing his team to their limits to achieve perfection. This ‘hands-on’ approach was instrumental in Apple’s success but also led to significant tension and conflict within the organization.

Personal Life and Interpersonal Relationships

In his personal life, Jobs was known to be a private individual, with complex relationships with his family and friends. His initial denial of paternity for his daughter Lisa and the subsequent reconciliation reflect a man struggling with personal demons and responsibilities. This aspect of his life demonstrates the challenges he faced in balancing his intense professional life with personal relationships.

Jobs’s relationship with his biological family was also complex. He initially showed little interest in connecting with his biological parents or siblings but later established a relationship with his biological sister, Mona Simpson. This evolution in his attitude towards his biological family might indicate a maturing perspective on identity and relationships as he aged.

Legacy and Impact on Technology

Steve Jobs’s legacy in the technology industry is monumental. He was a visionary who fundamentally changed how we interact with technology. His emphasis on user-friendly design and innovation has left an indelible mark on the industry. However, his psychological profile also played a role in this legacy. His perfectionism, while driving Apple to new heights, also created a culture of high pressure and intense competition within the company.

What do you think of Steve Jobs’ psychological profile?

As we close this exploration into the intricate psychological landscape of Steve Jobs, we invite you, our readers, to share your thoughts and perspectives. Do you find parallels between your own traits and those of Jobs? Or perhaps you see his approach to leadership and innovation in a different light? Your insights and opinions are invaluable to us, so please leave a comment below and join the conversation.

Moreover, if you found this deep dive into Steve Jobs’ psyche intriguing, you’ll be excited to know that we’ve explored other remarkable minds in the world of entrepreneurship. Check out our psychological profiles on visionaries like Elon Musk , Jeff Bezos , and Richard Branson . These profiles offer a unique glimpse into the minds that have shaped our modern world. So, dive in, compare, and let us know your thoughts on these influential figures as well. Your engagement helps us create content that resonates and informs. Let’s continue the journey of discovery together!

Ismael Abogado

Psychologist and constant learner of the mind and soul.

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Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

Steve Jobs and Alternative Medicine

“Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful … that’s what matters to me”

Now that he truly did do.

Here are some links of remembrance:

• Remembering Steve Jobs – Apple website
• All about Steve . com

What is in many ways tragic about his passing is that perhaps it need not have happened so soon. When first diagnosed in 2004 with a cancerous tumor in his pancreas, is was a considerable worry because it has a poor prognosis, partly because the cancer usually causes no symptoms early on, and so can advance undetected and leads to a locally advanced or metastatic disease at time of diagnosis. Treatment usually depends on the stage of the cancer. However, Steve’s diagnosis was not so gloomy because he had a rare, far less aggressive type known as islet cell neuroendocrine tumor .

This is the point where things truly become tragic.

For nine months, Steve rejected recommendations for evidence-based medical intervention and instead opted for a special alternative medicine diet for which there is not one single jot of evidence that it would help. Why did he do this?, well perhaps part of what makes him unique is that he makes his own rules and has always resisted the idea of flowing with the tide and so the same traits that make him a great CEO drove him to put his own life at risk like this. Steve, both a Buddhist and vegetarian, was also skeptical of mainstream medicine.

Would those nine months have made a difference? We don’t really know, but what we do know is that if the tumor had been surgically removed earlier, then his prognosis would be potentially a lot more promising: the vast majority of those who have the operation survive at least ten years, so the probability is that if he had not delayed a proven treatment and gone down the unproven “Alternative Medicine” path, then he would still be with us today … now that makes me really sad.

Folks please … medicine is the stuff that has been proven to work, alternative medicine is the unproven and untested stuff, so stick with what we know works. Apparently when an Alternative Medicine treatment is tested and found to actually work, then they have a special name for it … that name is “medicine”.

In the end, I can only feel deep sorrow at the loss of Steve and wish he could still be with us. This all motivates me to continue to speak out against the peddlers of woo that thrive all around us.

Updates (8th Oct)

• I botched the date of his initial Diagnosis, it was 2003, not (as I stated above) 2004.
• There is a rather interesting article here (from 2008) by Orac where he writes …

What Steve Jobs needed was for a doctor to get in his face and give him a dressing down of the sort that Jobs gives his employees, saying: “I know you’re a genius when it comes to industrial design of computers, making technology products that people love, and running an animation studio. I know you’ll be remembered as a giant in the history of computing, digital music, and technology. Unfortunately, none of that means you know squat about medicine. Diet, herbs, and the other woo you’re interested in will not stop this tumor. Nothing will heal it except cold, hard, surgical steel. Moreover, it’s puzzling to me where all that critical thinking you put into designing computers and running your business went to when it comes to your health. But, hey, it’s your choice. You can gamble that your plan won’t delay your therapy to the point where I can’t do anything to cure you anymore. Or you can listen to the scientific consensus and have the surgery. Your choice.” Of course, Jobs probably would have ignored it or even ranted back, but it’s something he needed to hear, and all of his employees and friends are too intimidated by him to give it to him straight.

• A few folks have commented to me, “ How could he be so stupid, I thought he was smart “. Make no mistake, smart people (some very smart people) can at times believe some crazy stuff, we are all prone to that. For example Nobel Prize winning chemist Linus Pauling became convinced that large doses of Vitamin C could cure cancer, despite the total lack of evidence. Peter Duesberg remains convinced that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS, despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary.

Update-2 (16th Oct)

Dr David Gorski of Science Based Medicine writes a long but very informative article all about this …

One has to be very, very careful about making this sort of argument [ that the 9 months of woo led to an early death ] . For one thing, it could not have been apparent that it was “too late” back in 2004, when it became clear that Jobs’ dietary manipulations weren’t working. For another thing, we don’t know how large the tumor was, whether it progressed or simply failed to shrink over those nine months, and by how much it increased in size, if increase in size it did. Again, I hope that information will be revealed in the Jobs’ biography; such data would go a long way in clarifying just how much, if at all, Jobs might have compromised his chance for cure by delaying. Right now, we just don’t know enough to make even a good guesstimate.

So, is it possible, even likely, that Jobs compromised his chances of survival? Yes. Is it definite that he did? No, it’s not

I suspect he may be right, and so I need to consider revising my position on this topic. As with all his articles, it is a long read, but does provide a lot of insight (he is a deeply experienced and well-respected Doctor).

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6 thoughts on “steve jobs and alternative medicine”.

Why are “medical treatments” subject to rigorous controls, requirements of efficacy, and review when there are “alternative treatments” available that you can fabricate, market, and administer without fear of repercussions. It is because we all support fraud as free market, and allow con men selling snake oil on television, radio, and print to market their insidiously useless cures. We forgive these thieves when they commit murder as well intentioned idiots. They are neither well intentioned not idiots. They prey on the sick and disabled and their families to enrich themselves by dishonest means. We need to require providers of “alternative medicines” to be subject to the same disciplinary action and legal repercussions we do the truly medical community.

In memory of my sister-in-law who underwent homeopathic treatments for stomach pains that were ultimately diagnosed as pancreatic cancer and resulted in her death four months later.

Per Wikipedia: Medicine – “Medicine is the science and art of healing.” Scientific Method – “[the] scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.”

Science-based medicine could therefore be termed as “using a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge into the science and art of healing.”

What is the alternative to science-based medicine? The art and science of NOT healing? At the time Mr Jobs was undergoing his alternative medical practices, I lamented to my wife that it wasn’t going to end well. Sometimes I really hate being right. I’ve read and heard that the majority of patients with this type of cancer, that have the surgery, have a life expectancy of 10+ years. Steve made it 7, hence it can be said that his alternative failed him.

Mr. Jobs, did have the Whipple procedure, but he waited… and tried alt med.. which I find sad, and as a nurse… I see all too often. In 2003 Jobs learned that he had a malignant tumor in his pancreas – a large gland behind the stomach that supplies the body with insulin and digestive enzymes. The most common type of pancreatic cancer – adenocarcinoma – carries a life expectancy of about a year. Jobs was lucky; he had an extremely rare form called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor that can be treated surgically, without radiation or chemotherapy. As Fortune reported in a March 5 cover story, (“The trouble with Steve Jobs”), Jobs tried various alternative therapies for nine months before the tumor was taken out on July 31, 2004, at the Stanford University Medical Clinic in Palo Alto, near his home. “This weekend I underwent a successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my pancreas,” Jobs wrote in an e-mail to Apple’s staff the next week. “I will be recuperating during the month of August, and expect to return to work in September.” What Jobs didn’t tell the staff was that the operation he had undergone had radically rearranged his digestive organs and would permanently change the nature of his health. Nobody who has a Whipple is ever quite the same. The Whipple procedure, named for Allen Oldfather Whipple, the American doctor who perfected it in the 1930s, is a complex, Rube Goldberg-type operation in which surgeons remove the right-most section, or “head,” of the pancreas – as well as the gallbladder, part of the stomach, the lower half of the bile duct, and part of the small intestine – and then reassemble the whole thing in a new configuration. The severed surfaces of the stomach, bile duct, and remaining pancreas are stitched to the small intestine so that what’s left of the pancreas can continue to supply insulin and digestive enzymes.

Sarah, do you know what they call alternative medicine that is proven to work? Medicine. The author says that Jobs embraced an alternative medicine without “a jot of evidence.” I will allow that there are certainly experimental medicines and procedures that are still in the phase of being proven, but it doesn’t sound like that is what Jobs tried. It is also obvious that things found in nature can be medicine. What we know as aspirin is found in white willow bark. It is a shame when anyone goes with unproven medicines/techniques and dies when there are proven techniques that would give them a better chance. In this case, Jobs didn’t allow his tumor to be removed and it killed him. Source: Reality

i disagree with you. medicines are sold to you by corporations. those medicines are nothing but natural remedies stuffed in a capsule. i worked at a pharmacy for a long time and saw people take countless medications they didnt need because of poor medical therapy management.

and several times, the pharmacist informed me of natural treatments, including the same chemicals, that so-and-so could take instead. and frequently, if a person can grow the ‘medicine’ in their garden, there’s no profit, so there’s no testing.

i think in some cases, perhaps in mr. jobs case, you might be right. but that is no reason to slander natural alternatives in general. just like when a particular medicine is recalled, found to cause more harm than good, or just found to not work, people don’t abandon ‘medicine’ entirely.

this is off the top of my head and isn’t a very academic response, but your article didn’t seem to be, either.

those medicines are natural remedies THAT HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED AND PROVEN EFFECTIVE stuffed in a capsule. important distinction. you’re not just eating weeds and hoping it makes a difference. the important thing is not where the substance comes from, it’s the evidence-based proof that it treats the condition. no one is slandering alternative sources here, but it’s idiocy to ingest random substances that have no proven therapeutic effect when your life is on the line.

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The Leadership Style of Steve Jobs: Visionary, Perfectionist, and Risk-Taker.

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Steve Jobs was a visionary leader, a charismatic figure who revolutionised the technology industry and left an indelible mark on the world. He co-founded Apple Inc. in 1976 with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Jobs served as Apple’s CEO from 1997 until his resignation in 2011, during which he transformed the company into one of the most valuable and innovative organizations in the world.

Jobs’ leadership style has been the subject of much debate and analysis, with many experts pointing to his unique and sometimes controversial approach as a key factor in Apple’s success. In this blog post, we will explore Steve Jobs’ leadership style and its impact on Apple’s success.

Visionary Leadership:

Steve Jobs was a visionary leader who had a clear sense of where he wanted to take Apple. He had a grand vision of creating products that were not only beautiful but also intuitive and easy to use. Jobs had a remarkable ability to see the future and anticipate trends before they became mainstream.

For example, he was one of the first to recognize the potential of the personal computer and was instrumental in the development of the first Macintosh computer. Jobs also saw the potential of digital music and was the driving force behind the development of the iPod and iTunes.

Jobs was a master at communicating his vision to his team and inspiring them to work towards a common goal. He was known for his passionate speeches and his ability to get his team to believe in his vision. He once famously said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Attention to Detail:

One of Jobs’ most significant contributions to Apple’s success was his attention to detail. He was known for his obsession with design and his insistence on perfection. He believed that every aspect of a product, from its packaging to its user interface, should be carefully considered and crafted.

Jobs was involved in every aspect of Apple’s product development, from the initial concept to the final design. He would often spend hours poring over small details, such as the curvature of a corner or the texture of a button.

This attention to detail was reflected in Apple’s products, which were known for their elegance, simplicity, and functionality. Apple’s products stood out in a crowded market, and customers were willing to pay a premium for them.

Jobs was also known for his laser focus on Apple’s core products. He believed in doing a few things exceptionally well, rather than trying to do everything. Jobs was not afraid to cut products that were not performing or to say no to new ideas that did not fit with Apple’s core mission.

This focus allowed Apple to concentrate its resources on its most successful products, such as the iPhone and the iPad, and to continue to innovate in these areas. Jobs once said, “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

Risk-Taking:

Jobs was a risk-taker who was not afraid to make bold decisions. He believed that innovation came from taking risks and was willing to go against conventional wisdom to achieve his goals.

For example, Jobs was the driving force behind Apple’s decision to move away from traditional computer designs and develop the iMac. This bold move paid off, and the iMac became a huge success.

Jobs was also willing to take risks with Apple’s product launches. He was known for his “one more thing” announcements, where he would surprise audiences with a new product or feature at the end of a keynote speech. These announcements generated excitement and anticipation and helped to build Apple’s brand.

Emotional Intelligence:

Despite his reputation for toughness and demanding perfection from his team, Jobs also had a high level of emotional intelligence . He understood the importance of building strong relationships with his team and was known for his ability to inspire and motivate them.

Jobs was a master at reading people and understanding their motivations. He knew how to get the best out of his team by recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and providing them with the support they needed to succeed. He was also known for his ability to give constructive feedback that helped his team members grow and improve.

Jobs also had a deep empathy for his customers. He understood their needs and desires and was committed to delivering products that met those needs. Jobs once said, “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology – not the other way around.”

Controversies:

While Steve Jobs’ leadership style was undoubtedly effective, it was not without its controversies. He was known for his demanding and sometimes confrontational personality, and he could be difficult to work with at times. He was also known for his tendency to micromanage his team and his reluctance to delegate tasks.

Jobs’ leadership style was also criticized for being too focused on product development at the expense of other important areas, such as marketing and customer service. Jobs was not known for his interest in these areas, and some critics argued that this lack of focus hurt Apple’s long-term prospects.

Finally, Jobs was known for his tendency to ignore criticism and to push ahead with his vision, even when it was unpopular. This led to some high-profile failures, such as the Apple Newton, and could be seen as a weakness in his leadership style.

Conclusion:

Steve Jobs’ leadership style was unique and controversial, but it was undoubtedly effective. He was a visionary leader who had a clear sense of where he wanted to take Apple and was able to inspire his team to work towards that goal. He was obsessive about design and perfection and had a laser focus on Apple’s core products. He was also a risk-taker who was willing to make bold decisions and go against conventional wisdom.

While Jobs’ leadership style was not without its controversies, it was ultimately successful. Apple became one of the most valuable and innovative companies in the world under his leadership , and Jobs left an indelible mark on the technology industry. Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” By this measure, Steve Jobs was undoubtedly a leader.

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Critical Analysis of Leadership of Steve Jobs

The aim of this work is analytical consideration of leadership style of Mr. Steve Jobs, co-founder and later the Chairman and CEO of Apples Computers Incorporated, a most successful businessman today. The challenge of the times The times are upon us when brilliant management and leadership are confounded. In the times of global technical breakthroughs and revolutionary transformations, as the power of “know-how” and the say-so of “vision” have joined their hands in leading organizations across sudden gulfs of learning, discoveries, necessitating multiple leaps of faith – we may boldly conclude: the era of the “middle-of-the-roaders” has grinded itself to a standing halt.

Customers-to-be are on the prowl for something extraordinary in the realm of technical overproduction. implicity and usability compounded with intuitiveness, versatility and durability, and, of course, functionalities flying in the matter of split seconds – are only some of the major concerns of the client today! The other essential concern is the philosophy behind the product, the personality of the company and corporative image.

As it has been aptly put: customers are not looking for just a product anymore; they are looking for a destiny. This, as nothing else, would be about the leadership style of the heads of an organization.

Steve Jobs’ leadership changed the world As “everything falls and rises on leadership” (John Maxwell, 2007, P. -2), we may well embark on a critical research of the exemplary leader who, to my mind, would forthwith fill the “carte blanche” of robust organizational leadership, rising to all of the occasions of today, let alone corporate competitiveness known for its rigor in Information Technologies.

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“ Very organized ,I enjoyed and Loved every bit of our professional interaction ”

With the power of creativity and originality of thought there is no competition. Everybody gains his unique place. That allowed Steve Jobs to announce at a certain time that Microsoft bought into Apple Corporation by purchase of 150 million USD “non-voting” shares (David Coursey, 2009).

To a hissing audience, it was announced that a commonplace view of Apple winning due to Microsoft losing is wrong. The whole pattern of such thinking is wrong. Having denounced the old views, Mr. Jobs assured that if Apple did not perform well enough, it posed a problem to Apple, not somebody else (Justin Hartman, 2007). Isn’t this view capable enough to change the world of business by shifting paradigm from “dog-eat-dog” view on competition, rivalry and animosity, to the paradigm of innovation, creativity and uniqueness, with an eye towards every company’s unparalleled input?

However, many would rather disagree in a dissentient voice: the world of big business is that of a sham friendship. I agree: everybody shapes his perception and philosophy of the world after himself; however not everybody can drastically change the world for better – Steve Jobs’ example certainly did! People who have their own way of creativity will never have “traffic jams”. Even if they have to make a step back in view of marketing or income rates, they will always come out on top, providing it leads the way to contributing those things which have never been known to the world before.

True leadership is about desire for a win-win decision-making. Steve Jobs’ futurity is the key Apple is a $30 billion company with only 30 major products (Carmine Gallo, 2010). In the world around us this is not much of the diversity. Later, Steve Jobs would talk about staying focused, calling for the need of restructuring organizational locus of control from merely staying afloat by diversifying product line to becoming spearheaded towards the future. The Apple Incorporated today As the morrow cares for itself, the question arises, what is the Apple Incorporated today?

Apple said its net income in the end of 2010 rose at the rate of 78 percent from a year earlier to a record $6 billion… Revenue soared more than 70 percent to $26. 74 billion, from $ 15. 68 billion in 2009 (The New York Times, 2011). Apple Incorporated products are well-known and easily recognizable across the whole world in line of personal computers, iphones, ipods and IPads. As of September 25, 2010, the Company had opened a total of 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally (The New York Times, 2011). Reminiscence of the past

With a little reminiscence of the past, the company was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and his partner Steve Wozniak only to see Mr. Jobs vacate the premises due to a fall-out with Mr. Sculley in 1985, “hand-picked CEO, recruited from Pepsi” (Owen W. Linzmayer, 1999). This was an extremely humbling experience, which often shapes leadership providing the mold for them tried with the times of being downcast. As Apple’s product Newton failed under governance of Mr. Sculley, the company could not compare to Microsoft’s Windows operating system, having become the mainstay of computer standards.

Owen W. Linzmayer, 1999, P. 60) In 1997 upon return of Mr. Jobs, 12 years later, the company finally began to see the light at the time when Mr. Dell was building his own computer empire, saying: “Apple’s smartest move would be to “shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders. “” (New York Times, 2001 updated). However, such a stance into future possibilities was not daunting for Mr. Jobs at all. The same goes for any visionary who doesn’t dwell on life retrospectively. Leadership style defined With all being said, it is sufficient to take for granted that leadership style of Mr. Jobs is closely related to innovation and creativity. However, it is necessary to delve down to the fulcrum of his philosophy of life to get an in-depth understanding of this.

It has been stated by Steve Jobs: “Innovation distinguishes between the leader and the follower” (Deutschman, 2001, P. 1-3). In the book “The Steve Job’s Way” (Jay Elliot, 2011, P. 4), being privy to the early internal affairs of the Apple, Jay Elliot (Apple’s head of human resources) comments on the key leadership nuances of Mr. Jobs, saying that Steve has understanding of the very mindset of the people; when he wants to design and create something for himself – it literally means creating something for his prospective customers: “And because he thinks like his future customers, he knows he has seen the future. ”

It is a must-have skill for a leader to have a clear vision and know the future without much guesswork; however this visionary capacity takes deep root in a close walk with the contemporaries being wired to the very pith and marrow of trends, knowing what people desire ere they know it themselves. For some all this is a figment of fuzzy imagination; for Steve they are the air he breathes. While it is noted that from 1940s a shift has been made in leadership theories from personal features exhibited in a leader to what leaders practically do (Management and Organisation, 2004), I take it to be a sign for the materialistic touch in development of the Western world.

We are no longer as introspective as much as we are focused on the outward. Innate leadership according to theorists who debate the Trait approach, which traces itself back to ancient Greeks, is rather incidental than essential (Management and Organisation, 2004). With modern tendencies of entrepreneurialism our views have taken an outward and libertarian slant. The thinking pattern of our day and time presents itself in the following manner: a person should do his best, everything else is supererogatory; to which I answer that internal world of intentions and reins of the heart are not a mere decoration to the outward doing, but the core essence thereof.

While the Trait approach is not a sufficient basis to distinguish between leaders and followers (Management and Organisation, 2004) it is a grand mistake to dismiss it at that. Certainly, we cannot conclude that the backbone of leadership of Steve Jobs was all about attracting more customers, or raking in mega income, or doing something else to be noticed by investors. If we should follow those characters that were so motivated and tried to lead others, we could make but a dent in the myriads of failures in the realm of leadership. In the search for leadership essence we are groping for something ideal in a leader and if the case be – his exploits to zero in on their intrinsic value thereof rather than on the outward appearances.

If not so, than every human being is some kind of a leader, good or bad. The limitations of the Trait approach cannot fully account for effectiveness of leaders’ actions (Management and Organisation, 2004). With the behavioral perspective we may single out the successful patterns of behavior of Steve Jobs that led him to prominent leadership position. Indeed, Steve Jobs is a great visionary. It is possible to even state that he is one of the kind. It is the power of envisioning and clarity of purpose which further fosters the focus, or locus of control.

One cannot take anybody anywhere unless he has been there to start with. And Mr. Steve has taken his company, his staff, and the rest of the world onto the entirely new plane of things. Would it surprise you to know that Steve Jobs never graduated any college? He started, however did not follow it through. This is the way of the Steve Jobs, eagle-eyed visionary, streamlined for the future, not the past. it is easy to remark that the company’s governance is that of personality-driven type.

The company had six CEOs in-between 1977-1985 (Catherine Lee, 2010), alented and skilled managers, some fairly successful. However, only with the passion and zeal of Mr. Jobs, his futurity brought the company successful landslide. Mr. Jobs was not set on fixing what did not work; his zeal did not become a “fire-stomping mode” of problem-solving. He cared for the new products put out on the market line. Bringing new products, and innovative software and hardware is still the mission statement of the company.

Innovation is the key-note peculiarity of Mr. Job’s leadership style! nnovative leadership is opposite to reclining back and resting on one’s laurels, complacent about things the way they are at the market now. Lucas Lin (2009), a renowned expert in the field of leadership and management, wrote that Steve had a gut feeling for innovation, realizing the need to incessantly keep the ball rolling in order to stay on top of things. Innovation was his crystal prism to look through at everything within a business – “innovation first, everything else later”. Another hallmark of Jobs’ leadership style, thus, is his ability to combine zeal and fear of his staff, who often state that they are afraid of him.

However, fear and zeal will dovetail only when the staff share the same vision and reality perception that head of the company constantly evangelizes. this is the bottom line that ultimately defines success, regardless of the industry or domain. Lucas Lin continues criticizing Jobs on his autocratic leadership: “Steve Jobs, the CEO and co-founder of Apple is a highly autocratic or ‘CEO-centric’ leader. ” (Lucas Lin, 2009). Steve Jobs has founded the leadership style of the Apple Company on fear of his employees as much as on being fanatic about the brand of the company and being extremely radical concerning dedication to the customer.

This has brought as much criticism on Steve Jobs as much adoration he enjoys. Several authors describe him as intimidating and a hard-to-please perfectionist: His deadlines are often impossible to meet, but he is constantly moving, ever moving towards improvement in all spheres (Erve, 2004). However, to state that Steve Jobs leadership style is autocratic would be far from the truth. It may be so for ones less passionate for their jobs and products, nonetheless for ones in love with the Company, it would be much different, as night from day.

Let’s hear Jobs speak for himself: “When you hire really good people you have to give them a piece of the business and let them run with it… the reason you’re hiring them is because you’re going to give them the reins. I want [them] making as good or better decisions than I would. ” (George Ambler, 2008). Therefore, it is not democratic or autocratic governance style per se that bring effectiveness, rather the ability to switch between both and apply each model as need be. Here is a thorough answer to the question: why Steve Job’s leadership proved to be very effective. no longer can one eclectic leadership pattern bring results.

We see in leaders of today the deftness of interchangeability. While the autocratic leadership is explained by high degree of control exerted over followers, making for unwillingness in them to take responsibility due to low level of morale (Management and Organisation, 2004), we see indeed a very high level of control extended by Steve Jobs only to share the rule with the competent, turning over some of the business to ones vested with decision-making powers. That in turn, is democratic leadership pattern in the behavioral perspective (Management and Organisation, 2004).

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