14 Leadership Principles from Steve Jobs

March 26, 2012 By Joya Martin 156

Richard Davies Like hundreds of thousands of A !e fans, " a# fascinated $y the incendiary $ri!!iance of %teve Jo$s and $y the revo!utionary roducts he created& " have no fe'er than four %teve Jo$s $io(ra hies in #y !i$rary& ")ve read the un !easant stories, and there are #any* fro# %teve)s !ack of $asic hy(iene in his youth, and his initia! denia! of aternity of his first dau(hter to the su((estion that he continua!!y du ed his !on( ti#e artner, %teve +o,niak, the rea! $rains $ehind A !e in its ear!y days, $ut his !uster re#ains& " a# an ad#itted %teve Jo$s -unkie& .hrou(h his co# anies, Jo$s transfor#ed at !east seven industries inc!udin( ani#ated #ovies, ersona! co# utin( and #usic& " 'as de!i(hted to find that Jo$s has $een featured in the A ri! 2012 edition of the /arvard Business Revie' #a(a,ine& %i0 #onths after his death, his officia! $io(ra her, +a!ter "saacson, has ski!!fu!!y disti!!ed 'hat is essentia!!y an e0ecutive su##ary of %teve Jo$s) !eadershi sty!e, in a $ri!!iant 6,000 !us 'ord artic!e tit!ed 1.he Rea! Leadershi Lessons of %teve Jo$s2& "saacson identifies fourteen !eadershi !essons, sur#isin( that Jo$s 3$e!on(s in the antheon of A#erica)s (reat innovators, a!on( 'ith .ho#as 4dison, /enry 5ord, and +a!t Disney&2 5ortune Ma(a,ine has a!so recent!y na#ed %teve Jo$s the (reatest entre reneur of our ti#e& "f "saacson is ri(ht, then history is 'e!! on its 'ay to re#e#$erin( %teve Jo$s !ess for his $ad $ehavior and e0tre#e e#otiona!is# and #ore as an innovator 'ho a !ied his ersona!ity, efforts and ener(y into transfor#in( techno!o(y and $usiness&

/ere is a su##ary of the fourteen !eadershi

rinci !es*

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #1 Focus

%teve Jo$s 'as fa#ous for his !aser6!ike focus& .his natura! ersona!ity trait 'as further honed $y his study of 7en hi!oso hy8 3decidin( 'hat not to do is as i# ortant as decidin( 'hat to do2& %hort!y $efore his death, Larry 9a(e, :oo(!e)s co6founder visited Jo$s to ask for advice& Jo$s to!d hi# to fi(ure out the to five roducts :oo(!e shou!d focus on and 3(et rid of the rest, $ecause they)re dra((in( you do'n2& 9a(e fo!!o'ed his advice, announcin( to :oo(!e e# !oyees in January 2012 that they 'ou!d 3focus on -ust a fe' riorities, and #ake the# 3$eautifu!,2 the 'ay Jo$s 'ou!d have done&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #2 Simplicity

%teve Jo$s focused on annihi!atin( co# !e0ity 'hen creatin( roducts& /e !ived and $reathed the Leonardo da ;inci tenet that a eared in A !e)s first #arketin( $rochure* 3si# !icity is the u!ti#ate so histication&2 .en years a(o, the orta$!e #usic !ayer industry 'as ri e for a shake u , and Jo$s) <uest for si# !ification !ed to the revo!utionary i9od fo!!o'ed $y the i9hone& +hen settin( their si(hts on 'hat to do ne0t, today)s e#er(in( $usiness !eaders need on!y find roducts that are #ore co# !icated than they need to $e&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #3 le!ance

%teve Jo$s strove to de!iver the e!e(ant idea!& 39eo !e are $usy2, he 'ou!d say 3they have other thin(s to do than think a$out ho' to inte(rate their co# uters and devices&2 And so, he took res onsi$i!ity for the entire user e0 erience, o'nin( 'hat he ca!!ed 3the 'ho!e 'id(et2& /ard'are, soft'are and eri hera! devices had to $e sea#!ess!y inte(rated& .he !eadershi !esson here is to create roducts and service 'hich ref!ect a assion for de!iverin( de!i(htfu! user e0 eriences fro# start to finish&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #4 "nnovation

%teve Jo$s kne' that success 'as not -ust co#in( u 'ith ne' ideas first, $ut $ein( a$!e to ec!i se revious success throu(h innovation& +hen he rea!i,ed that ori(ina! iMac !eft their users o'er!ess to do'n!oad, ri and s'a #usic the 'ay 9= users cou!d, he fa#ous!y said 3" fe!t !ike a do e& " thou(ht 'e had #issed it2& "nstead of -ust !ayin( catch u , he innovated& .he resu!t 'as an inte(rated syste# that transfor#ed the #usic industry throu(h the i9od, i.unes and the i.unes #usic store& And then, sensin( the threat osed $y #o$i!e hone #akers addin( #usic !ayers, and at the risk of hurtin( i9od sa!es, he created the i9hone& 3"f 'e don)t canni$a!i,e ourse!ves, so#eone e!se 'i!!2&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson ## $uthenticity

Durin( the ear!y days of A !e, %teve Jo$s #otivated his tea# to create 3insane!y (reat2 roducts& Durin( his ten6year a$sence, 'ith John %cu!!ey at the he!#, the focus shifted to rofit #a0i#i,ation, and roduct desi(n suffered& %teve Jo$s theori,ed that is 'as one of the reasons

co# anies dec!ine& 3My assion has $een to $ui!d an endurin( co# any 'here eo !e> #ake (reat roducts> the roducts, not the rofits, 'ere the #otivation& "t)s a su$t!e difference, $ut it ends u #eanin( everythin(2& .oday)s !eaders and entre reneurs 'i!! do 'e!! to stay true to the ur ose of their $usinesses and re#ain authentic&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #% &ision

/enry 5ord once fa#ous!y said, 3"f ")d asked custo#ers 'hat they 'anted, they 'ou!d have to!d #e, 1A faster horse?2 %teve Jo$s $e!ieved in $ein( assionate!y co##itted to de!iverin( roducts custo#ers 'ou!d !ove, $ut not in askin( the# 'hat they 'ant& /e re!ied on his o'n vision& Jo$s fe!t that fine!y honed intuitive o'ers cou!d ta into desires not -ut fu!!y for#ed& %o#eti#es the on!y focus (rou !eaders need is the#se!ves* +e #ade the i9od for ourse!ves,2 he said, 3and 'hen you)re doin( so#ethin( for yourse!f, or your $est friend or fa#i!y, you)re not (oin( to cheese out&2

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #' (ertitude

%teve Jo$s 'as kno'n for de#andin( the i# ossi$!e, his certitude the on!y (uarantee of success& /is infuriatin(!y effective 1Rea!ity Distortion 5ie!d) !ed those he 'orked 'ith to erfor# e0traordinary feats& 5ro# havin( his artner roduce a ne' (a#e in four days, after sayin( it 'ou!d take #onths, to havin( an en(ineer 'ho e0 !ained it 'as i# ossi$!e to shave 10 seconds off $oot ti#e de!iver a 2@6second ti#e savin(s -ust a fe' 'eeks !ater& Jo$s 'ou!d stare at you $!ank!y and say 'ith un'averin( conviction 'hi!e de#andin( the i# ossi$!e 3:et your #ind around it& Aou can do it2&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #) *iscernment

%teve Jo$s) ear!y #entor insti!!ed in hi# the i# ortance of discern#ent& Mike Markku!a kne' that eo !e for# o inions on co# anies and roducts $ased on resentation and acka(in(& .his $eca#e one of Jo$)s (uidin( rinci !es& /e o$sessed over the desi(n of the $o0es that he!d the i9od and i9hone, and insisted on addin( a hand!e 'hen the candy6co!ored ne' iMacs 'ere created, addin( 3unnecessary2 e0 ense in order to #ake the roduct friend!ier&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #+ ,enacity

%teve Jo$s 'as kno'n to (o $ack to the dra'in( $oard even in the advanced sta(es of roduct deve!o #ent& "f it fe!t 'ron(, he had no <ua!#s askin( his desi(ners, deve!o #ent tea#s and en(ineers to 'ork ni(hts and 'eekends to (et thin(s -ust ri(ht& /e did it 'ith .oy %tory, even after Disney had insisted on darker, #ore #ature re6'rites8 he sto ed roduction to #ake it the fa#i!y friend!y success it eventua!!y $eca#e& .he i9hone 'as reva# ed even after the desi(n 'as first a roved& /e never co# ro#ised on consistency of $eauty and <ua!ity, usin( the !esson he !earned doin( car entry 'ith his father 3a (reat car enter isn)t (oin( to use !ousy 'ood for the $ack of a ca$inet, even thou(h no$ody)s (oin( to see it&2

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #1- Selectivity

%teve Jo$s insisted on havin( on!y the $est ta!ent on his tea#s& Jo$s refused to indu!(e in 'hat he referred to as a 2Bo,o e0 !osion2* the creation of assive!y o!ite environ#ents 'here #ediocrity is a!!o'ed to f!ourish& A!thou(h his se!ectivity often #anifested as stor#y etu!ance, he reasoned 3'hen you have rea!!y (ood eo !e, you don)t have to $a$y the#& By e0 ectin( the# to do (reat thin(s, you can (et the# to do (reat thin(s2& And did he ever&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #11 (ollaboration

Des ite 'orkin( in a hi(h6tech fie!d, %teve Jo$s re!ied heavi!y on the syner(y that often takes !ace in face6to6face co!!a$oration& /e 'as kno'n to take !on( 'a!ks durin( intense ne(otiations& .he A !e head<uarters 'as desi(ned to encoura(e chance #eetin(s and #a0i#i,e erson6to6 erson encounters& /e 'anted eo !e to en(a(e, interact and $rainstor# infor#a!!y $ecause he $e!ieved that s arked a kind of #a(ic& /is advice to !eaders on the su$-ect of co!!a$oration very 'e!! #i(ht have $een* 3for(et the 9o'er9oint resentations and (et eo !e interactin(2&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #12 *etail

"n the #idst of a!! his far6reachin( !ans, %teve Jo$s a!so kne' that :od is in the detai!s& 4ven 'hi!e creatin( (rand conce ts for the future of his co# any, he a !ied his assion to the s#a!! thin(s as 'e!!8 he 'as kno'n to fret over the sha e and co!or of scre's in the iMac& .o !eaders, the rea!i,ation of overarchin( $usiness strate(ies #i(ht very 'e!! de end on never !osin( si(ht of the i# ortance of even the tiniest detai!s&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #13 "ma!ination

%teve Jo$s 'as fascinated 'ith conce t of standin( at the intersection of hu#anities and sciences& Like Ben-a#in 5rank!in, and A!$ert 4instein $efore hi#, he used i#a(ination to $rid(e the (a $et'een arts and techno!o(y& Leaders 'ho can $rin( ri(ht6$rain i#a(ination to !eft6 $rained fie!ds of science, and en(ineerin( 'i!! $e critica! to the $usiness success in the 21st century&

Steve Jobs Leadership Lesson #14 .on/(onformity

/avin( (ro'n u in the %an 5rancisco Bay area in the 1B60Cs, %teve Jo$s 'as a roduct of $oth the hi ie anti6'ar countercu!ture and the (eek6fi!!ed, hi(h6tech 'or!d of %i!icon ;a!!ey& /is $ehavior, assions and $usiness ref!ected the contradictions and conf!uence of these diver(ent e!e#ents& .he ithy #a0i#, 1%tay /un(ry& %tay 5oo!ish2, ref!ects the 'ay he !ived his !ife, and the 'ay he ositioned A !e, startin( it out in his arents) (ara(e to $eco#e the 'or!d)s #ost va!ua$!e co# any at the ti#e of his death& Jo$s he! ed co# ose the te0t for A !e)s 3.hink Different2 ad ca# ai(n& .he 'ords s eak for the#se!ves* 3/ere)s to the cra,y ones& .he #isfits& .he re$e!s> +e see (enius& Because the eo !e 'ho are cra,y enou(h to think they can chan(e the 'or!d are the ones 'ho do&2