Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs

Leave a Comment » | 2,703 Views | 0 Comments » |

• Share
  
• 

By David Taylor, founder and managing partner of the brandgym

Any idea what’s happened to Apple’s share price since Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1998? For perspective, the Nasdaq index of US tech stocks has gone up 40% during this time. The answer is an eye-popping 2500%. No wonder he is widely recognised as one of the most inspirational brand leaders ever. What can we mere mortals learn from the incredible leadership of Steve Jobs?

Ignite product passion
Don’t let anyone fool you that Apple is a lifestyle brand for people who want to challenge the norm and be a rebel. The lifestyle advertising loved by marketing folk is not the key to Apple’s success. Jobs’ key role has been re-igniting and keeping alight the passion for amazing products. Sure, the look and feel of the products creates desire. But the product and software design creates delight and wonder in use. Jobs’ first move when returning to Apple was to launch the candy-coloured, original iMac as a symbol of re-invention. He then inspired, cajoled and aligned the Apple organisation to design a stream of breakthrough products and software, including iPod, iTunes, iPhone and iPad.
We might not all work on products as sexy as Apples, but that shouldn’t stop us having a passion for the products and services we work on. This is important not only for customers, but also for engaging people inside the business. Research by Interbrand shows that selling products you are proud of is the number one driver of organisational pride.

Be an epic storyteller
Jobs is Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, but also the Chief Storyteller. He’s not just in the business of making products. He’s on a mission to revolutionise the way we create and interact with information and entertainment. This is summed up by Jobs’ famous question to John Sculley, when persuading the Pepsi CEO to join Apple: “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?”
All brand leaders should create and communicate a clear and inspiring story about the journey you want to take, and why it’s worth people joining you. And you don’t have to sell a sexy product to have a sexy story. Look at how Dorset have redesigned breakfast cereals.

Be a beacon for buzz
Steve Jobs acts as the public face of Apple. In particular, he is the star of the Apple events where the latest new products are launched, each one a “chapter” in the story of the Apple brand. In this role he generates huge amounts of free PR for the brand. In his rare interviews he further fuels the fire of brand buzz. A Google search for “Steve Jobs and Apple” returns 28 million hits.
Brand leaders should ensure they are the visible face promoting the story of their brand. Richard Reed of Innocent has done a great job of this. He has romanticised the story of how he and his mates started the company by testing prototype products at a festival, and positioned the brand as helping us get those elusive five daily portions of fruit and veg.

Leading like Steve Jobs means having a passionate zeal for your product or service, and telling a brand story based on this passion to your employees, customers and the wider world. And if you only help generate a fraction of that 2500% increase in stock price increase, you’ll still be a hero.

Posted: July 7th, 2010 | Author: elen.lewis | Filed under: Customer Champions, Customer Stream, Growth Drivers, Leadership Central | Tags: david taylor, marketing leadership, marketing society, marketing society advocate, steve jobs | Leave a Comment »

---