When Steve Jobs came back to Apple in the late 1990s, the company wasn’t doing so well, but what really changed was not the products — it was the way leadership worked. The clarity of vision of Jobs, in my opinion, was one of Jobs’ most defining traits. He knew precisely what Apple was (and shouldn’t be), and he wasn’t afraid to pare down the product portfolio to emphasize a few things really well done. A second major hallmark was his concern for the user experience. Jobs didn’t just lead with those spreadsheets but cared very heavily about the way products worked, felt and looked to real people. This drove teams to the next level by giving them all perspectives—from design to after-sales—and helped Apple create a tightly integrated ecosystem rather than just individual products. He was also demanding, and uncompromising, which is a controversial point. But that level of intensity raised the bar throughout the company. They understood that “good enough” was never sufficient and this mentality was built into Apple culture. Finally, Jobs had the gift of a great storyteller. He could speak of a future that its employees, customers and investors would trust in. Such skillfulness in rallying people around the same vision was instrumental in times defined as change and innovation.
In general, Apple’s success during Jobs’ second phase was all about more than technology; it was about leadership qualities that balanced vision, discipline, imagination and execution. That mix helped Apple remain both resilient and different in a very competitive industry.
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