WWYD Apple CEO and cofounder Steve Jobs was synonymous with Apple. Fired from Apple in 1985, Jobs founded NeXT Computer and created Pixar Studios. Then he returned to Apple as CEO in 1995. In his absence, Apple lost billions and its share of the personal computer market dropped from 9 percent to 2 percent. Jobs saved Apple by procuring a $150 million investment from Bill Gates and Microsoft and launching the iMac, a desktop machine that became one of Apple's leading sellers. Most importantly, Jobs directed the development of Apple's new operating system, OS X, which, in combination with easy-to-use software for film and picture editing, desktop publishing, presentations, and word processing, stabilized Apple's sales and market share and put it in a financial position to eventually create the iPod and iTunes as well as the iPhone, iPad, and now iCloud. Today, its market share is growing or commanding (tablets and digital music), and its stock value is greater than Intel and Microsoft combined. But in the middle of all this success, Jobs' health became a concern. He took medical leaves in 2004 and 2009, and died in October 2011. Jobs was known for his highly demanding and influential leadership at Apple. Jobs was also famous for saying "no." "We're always thinking about new markets we could enter. But it's only by saying no," he said, "that you can concentrate on the things that are really important." Yet, despite his toughness and discipline, Jobs inspired Apple's managers, software engineers, and designers to create elegant, simple, innovative products. Jobs' charismatic leadership was clearly central to Apple's success. The challenge for Apple is how to replace a charismatic leader like Jobs.
One way to gain some insight into this issue is to examine what happened during Jobs' extended medical absences from the company. One of Apple's business partners believes that "creative tension" waned during Jobs' absences, replaced by a "play-it-safe ethos." However, during Jobs' medical leaves, Apple thrived under the leadership of Tim Cook, who was named CEO after Jobs' death. His expertise in supply chains ensured the success of such products as the iPod Nano. And like Jobs, Cook demands much of the people who work for him. Nevertheless, he needs people around him to make up for his weaknesses in creativity. According to Jez Frampton, group CEO of Interbrand, "Now the worry is the organization has to rewire itself and learn how to make decisions on its own."
While many key decisions at Apple were made by Jobs, or by Jobs and his top management team, Jobs used several approaches to bring a broader group of managers into Apple's regular decision making, a series of meetings where each day is devoted to product development, marketing, and so on. There is also the annual Top 100 retreat. The 100 are not just the "vice presidents" but include "key individual contributors" as well. They also work with a high degree of secrecy, even among Apple employees, such that when the iPod was introduced at a Top 100 meeting, only its development team knew beforehand. How critical are the Top 100 to running Apple? A former Apple executive says that, "If he [Jobs] had to recreate the company, these are the 100 people he'd bring along." That also suggests that the Top 100 would continue to work together to lead Apple in Jobs' absence.
Finally, before he passed away, Jobs hired Joel Podolny, formerly Dean of Yale's School of Management, to be vice president of human resources and create Apple University. Podolny is working with a team of business professors to write business cases about the major decisions Apple has made over the last 15 years, so that a broader group of younger managers can learn how and why Apple makes decisions. The cases, taught by Apple's top executives, cover topics such as Apple's decision to start Apple stores, or why Apple only has one factory in China that makes iPhones. According to Fortune magazine, "The goal is to expose the next layer of management to the executive team's thought process." Together, these approaches could prepare Apple without Steve Jobs given his lasting influence on management during his medical leaves. A former Apple executive says, "You can ask anyone in the company what Steve wants and you'll get an answer, even if 90 percent of them have never met Steve." Refer to WWYD Apple. Which quality does Steve Jobs lack as a charismatic leader?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer of WWYD Apple CEO and cofounder Steve Jobs was synonymous with Apple. Fired from Apple in 1985, Jobs founded NeXT Computer and created Pixar Studios. Then he returned to Apple as CEO in 1995. In his absence, Apple lost billions and its share of the personal computer market dropped from 9 percent to 2 percent. Jobs saved Apple by procuring a $150 million investment from Bill Gates and Microsoft and launching the iMac, a desktop machine that became one of Apple's leading sellers. Most importantly, Jobs directed the development of Apple's new operating system, OS X, which, in combination with easy-to-use software for film and picture editing, desktop publishing, presentations, and word processing, stabilized Apple's sales and market share and put it in a financial position to eventually create the iPod and iTunes as well as the iPhone, iPad, and now iCloud. Today, its market share is growing or commanding (tablets and digital music), and its stock value is greater than Intel and Microsoft combined. But in the middle of all this success, Jobs' health became a concern. He took medical leaves in 2004 and 2009, and died in October 2011. Jobs was known for his highly demanding and influential leadership at Apple. Jobs was also famous for saying "no." "We're always thinking about new markets we could enter. But it's only by saying no," he said, "that you can concentrate on the things that are really important." Yet, despite his toughness and discipline, Jobs inspired Apple's managers, software engineers, and designers to create elegant, simple, innovative products. Jobs' charismatic leadership was clearly central to Apple's success. The challenge for Apple is how to replace a charismatic leader like Jobs.
One way to gain some insight into this issue is to examine what happened during Jobs' extended medical absences from the company. One of Apple's business partners believes that "creative tension" waned during Jobs' absences, replaced by a "play-it-safe ethos." However, during Jobs' medical leaves, Apple thrived under the leadership of Tim Cook, who was named CEO after Jobs' death. His expertise in supply chains ensured the success of such products as the iPod Nano. And like Jobs, Cook demands much of the people who work for him. Nevertheless, he needs people around him to make up for his weaknesses in creativity. According to Jez Frampton, group CEO of Interbrand, "Now the worry is the organization has to rewire itself and learn how to make decisions on its own."
While many key decisions at Apple were made by Jobs, or by Jobs and his top management team, Jobs used several approaches to bring a broader group of managers into Apple's regular decision making, a series of meetings where each day is devoted to product development, marketing, and so on. There is also the annual Top 100 retreat. The 100 are not just the "vice presidents" but include "key individual contributors" as well. They also work with a high degree of secrecy, even among Apple employees, such that when the iPod was introduced at a Top 100 meeting, only its development team knew beforehand. How critical are the Top 100 to running Apple? A former Apple executive says that, "If he [Jobs] had to recreate the company, these are the 100 people he'd bring along." That also suggests that the Top 100 would continue to work together to lead Apple in Jobs' absence.
Finally, before he passed away, Jobs hired Joel Podolny, formerly Dean of Yale's School of Management, to be vice president of human resources and create Apple University. Podolny is working with a team of business professors to write business cases about the major decisions Apple has made over the last 15 years, so that a broader group of younger managers can learn how and why Apple makes decisions. The cases, taught by Apple's top executives, cover topics such as Apple's decision to start Apple stores, or why Apple only has one factory in China that makes iPhones. According to Fortune magazine, "The goal is to expose the next layer of management to the executive team's thought process." Together, these approaches could prepare Apple without Steve Jobs given his lasting influence on management during his medical leaves. A former Apple executive says, "You can ask anyone in the company what Steve wants and you'll get an answer, even if 90 percent of them have never met Steve." Refer to WWYD Apple. Which quality does Steve Jobs lack as a charismatic leader?

WWYD Apple CEO and Cofounder Steve Jobs Was Synonymous with Apple