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How Steve Jobs Made The World Bite the Apple

I bet most of us are familiar with the brands Apple and Mac. In fact, some of you may be using a Mac or an iPhone while reading this article.

Or if you are not a Mac or an Apple user you may know someone who is…

My point here is, Apple is a well-known brand. In fact, Apple has established itself as a leader in the consumer electronics and media sales industries. As of 2018, Apple has an estimated jaw-dropping value of 1 Trillion US Dollars and earns around 156 billion US dollars annually.

Amazing right?

Did you know before Apple became a mega company, it went through a downward spiral and was on the verge of bankruptcy?

And only one man found the cure to this company’s predicament…

Steve Jobs during his comeback in Apple said: “The cure for Apple is not cost-cutting; the cure for Apple is to innovate its way out of its current predicament.”

And we all know what happened next. Steve Jobs launched one innovation after another, creating a big impact in the world of technology, telecommunications, retail, and entertainment. It’s no wonder that CNBC named Steve Jobs the #1 most innovative and transformative business leader of the past 25 years (Forbes magazine, 2012).

How about you?  Is your organisation going through a downward spiral? Are your employees growing more unproductive and becoming less engaged? Do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut and still clueless about what to do?

If so, this article will share to you the innovation secrets of Steve Jobs that made the world want every product he touched…

Secret 1: Do what you love

In one of his interviews, Job’s was asked what advice would he give to a young entrepreneur who is looking for career advice. His response was:

“Go out and a get a job as a busboy or something until you find something you're really passionate about.” - Steve Jobs

Passion fuels innovation. You cannot generate great and innovative ideas unless you’re really passionate about them.

Secret 2: Have a world changing vision… And stick to it.

"I want to put a ding in the universe."  - Steve jobs

While passion fuels a person, it is vision that directs them to their ultimate destination.

At a certain conference, not long after Steve Job took over as CEO at the then almost bankrupt Apple, Dell founder Michael Dell was asked what he would do if he were in Job’s shoes. He bluntly said: “I’d shut it down and give the money back to the share-holders.”

During this time many in the industry were doubting Apple’s chances of survival but Job’s stood firm with his vision and that is to “…build computers for people, not for corporations.”

While no one in his industry had successfully carved out a market just for “people”, Jobs believed they could do it and stood by his vision.

Secret 3: Cultivate an attitude of curiosity in all things.

“Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.” - Steve Jobs

Ever since he was young, Jobs always had a knack for learning and exploring. In fact, a number of his earlier explorations landed him in the hospital’s emergency room.

When he was older, he travelled a lot, read a lot and was not afraid to try and explore different ideas. 

His curiosity led him to dream bigger, excel in what he is doing and become better at it.

Secret 4: Don’t be afraid of failure. Learn from it and move on.

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.” - Steve Jobs

Despite his many successes, Steve Jobs was never exempted to failure. When he was thirty years old, he was ousted at Apple, the very company he co-founded. In his venture to build another computer company, he missed the mark and blew off millions of dollars of his investor’s money.

In spite of his many failures, Jobs did not allow them to get the best of him. He did not quit on his dreams and always pursued his vision. He knew that failures, when handled correctly, can be his stepping stones to success. He knew that failures enable us to know how to do things right.

Many people and organisations are not able to reach their full potential because they don’t innovate. Steve Jobs pursued his dream and did not let anyone and anything stand in the way.

“Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice,” Jobs once said. “And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”

So never be afraid to dream. Dream BIG. Explore. Embrace Failure. INNOVATE. Make a difference in this world.

In the work I do to develop 21st Century Neuroleaders, innovation is developed as one of the 4 key competencies. Becoming an innovative leader can make your organisation be leader in the industry that it is in and make an impact in this world.

If this short article has spoken to you in any way, contact me through my website so we can discuss what support you need in this area of your life and leadership journey.

Have a great week…you deserve it!

Cheers Grant

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