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Steve Jobs' Demand for Excellence Extends to Elevator Pitches
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Wow. And people here think this is acceptable behavior by SJ?What a jerk he must have been (if this story is in fact true). It's one thing to demand perfection in your product, but to demand a good story in small talk on an elevator is unacceptable behavior.
Tony
That's why you don't work at Apple.
Actually, it's pretty cool if you're passionate about your job and the company you work for. And it's infinitely better than what most CEO's would do: Mumble a hello and ignore your presence.
It's great for a simple employee to have the opportunity to talk about the business with the top boss.
Stephen Fry's tribute to Steve Jobs on the BBC website (audio only) is very good and well worth listening to. If you have 5 mins to spare have a listen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14664226
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14664226
So how would you characterize the employees who took the stairs because they didn't want to run into Jobs?
I do agree that it's great for the big boss to take an interest but conversations where you feel your job is at stake if you make the wrong joke or don't properly explain your value to the company (within the time it takes an elevator to travel 4 floors) aren't really that fun - especially if you care about your job.
Outstanding! Well worth a listen, made me think about Jobs, Apple, and some of their products in a new light. Thanks for the link.
RE: The Elevator Story.
Does Apple really let random strangers wander around their headquarters campus without a chaperone or some sort of visitors badge?
For a company supposedly obsessed with secrecy as Apple, this strikes me as a remarkable oversight.
It's not cool at all. How you ever had a boss like that? I hope not.
Even worse is the famed Apple "Worldwide Loyalty Team".
The reason why the Jobs story has stuck in my head is because of my own quite opposite experiences.
For instance, as a software contractor in the late 1990s, I remember getting on an elevator at Verizon in Florida, and a VP who was one step down from CEO smiled, stuck out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Jim Smith, I'm sorry, but I don't think I remember you. What do you do?" I told him; he listened carefully. It was all quite pleasant and adult. I was impressed. And I had similar experiences with others at his level.
Or in Jobs' case, a great way to get fired.
I think the visitor was an office supplies salesman and his badge wasn't visible to Jobs. I will try to find the story article again.
Wow. And people here think this is acceptable behavior by SJ?
Tony
As a consumer who enjoys the benefits of Apple products, SJ's actions are perfectly permissible as long as they are within the scope of the law.
The result:
The luxury we have to post criticism about Steve Jobs' management style using the very products that were conceived and produced from that style.
Welcome to corporate life. In the tech sector, no less. Those who can't take the heat need to get out of the kitchen. Steve Jobs might simply require total commitment from employees - I've seen and experienced that sort of thing myself. Some employees aren't suited for that sort of thing. Others are, and they thrive on it. There is no good or bad about it.
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Yeah, without OSX Apple would have been long gone. OS9 was a dead end, in a way it was Apples Windows 95 and Vista combined.
Elevator conversation with Steve.
"So what have you been working on?'
"Something that has a small footprint. Kind of like this elevator."
"Small footprint sounds pretty good."
"And it has vertical height too."
"Vertical height?"
"Yes. It allows for room inside. Like this elevator."
"Like...this elevator."
"Exactly."
"And what would the benefit be of vertical height?"
"Room for hard drives, optical drive, additional air space for cooling."
"Sounds sort of like the Cube?"
"In a way but it's more than a new Cube. It has some features from the Mac Pro too."
"Like what?"
"An easy to open case for one. And some jacks on the front to make it easier to connect things temporarily."
"Hmm. What would you call it?"
"The XMac!"
"It would never work. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
"So what have you been working on?'
"Something that has a small footprint. Kind of like this elevator."
"Small footprint sounds pretty good."
"And it has vertical height too."
"Vertical height?"
"Yes. It allows for room inside. Like this elevator."
"Like...this elevator."
"Exactly."
"And what would the benefit be of vertical height?"
"Room for hard drives, optical drive, additional air space for cooling."
"Sounds sort of like the Cube?"
"In a way but it's more than a new Cube. It has some features from the Mac Pro too."
"Like what?"
"An easy to open case for one. And some jacks on the front to make it easier to connect things temporarily."
"Hmm. What would you call it?"
"The XMac!"
"It would never work. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
Well, I'm someone who ACTUALLY interacts weekly with the CEO of a large successful company and guess what, he's a great guy and totally rational. If I, or anyone else for that matter, sees him on an elevator, he would genually be interrested in their personal lives (wife, kids, etc) or about business if in fact THEY wanted to talk, but would be perfectly OK to just say "Hi" if they did not. Yes, like a real human being.
Tony
We are discussing small talk on an elevator, not work expectations from your job. I'm sorry, by SJ's behaviour, if true, is borderline crazy. That's NOT a typical Corporate environment.
I use Apple's products along with many other great products from many other great companies, some of which probably have totally rational CEO's, so it doesn't have to be that way. Hopefully for Apple employees, Tim Cook is a little more stable.
Tony
Irrelevavant information. Because no one is arguing Steve's behavior is normal typical behavior of a CEO. Everybody knows Steve is not your average( as your post describes) "hows the wife and kids" guy. As Apple is not your average/typical company.
I think a previous poster said it perfectly. There are people who thrive in that sort of work environment. To each his own.
So I guess that's why people are taking the STAIRS to avoid Steve in the elevator. Yeah, they thrive on that environment.
Sad really.Tony
There's a lot of difference between admitting that you have a hearing problem and actually getting a hearing aid. Perhaps it's about vanity, but people that will wear glasses won't as readily admit they need a hearing aid. My husband is a perfect example, tells me I mumble all the time.
So I guess that's why people are taking the STAIRS to avoid Steve in the elevator. Yeah, they thrive on that environment.
Tony
I believe they do. Its not just this, Apple as a whole company has a way of doing things "differently" on a corporate level. Its their right to run things differently and it is Steve's right to expect whatever he wants to expect from his employees(and whenever). It is nice that you have a "rational" CEO and i am sure he is a great guy, but i believe that is Steve's freedom/right to expect whatever he wants.
Of course, EVERYONE has the right to do what they want to do as long as it's not illegal. It doesn't stop them from being a jerk though, whether CEO or factory worker. If you or others call that just being "different" and are willing to accept it, good luck in life then.
Tony
Hahahaha, thank you for sharing that. I can only imagine, being intimidated to say something compelling and meaningful with nowhere to go and nothing to do but attempt to be interesting. Wow.I hate to say it, but the big positive out of this week is the sheer amount of Steve-stories that people have been sharing. The one thing that makes that even better yet is that somewhere, he's still doing something great - maybe even reading a few of these stories.
