It is hard to forget those iconic keynotes where Steve Jobs would walk up and announce products that defined the success of Apple over the past decade. But that’s the thing about companies, they live on for generations and with Steve Jobs’ passing last year, the man now in charge of the world most valuable company is Tim Cook.
Questions have been raised about Apple leadership in post Steve Jobs era and while the jury is still out there, we would make our claim in support of Tim Cook as CEO. As Apple gears up for its first WWDC without Steve Jobs and we expect some key announcements on future products, Tim is out there to prove that new business channels can be created by Apple even today.
a) Over a decade of Apple culture
Tim has spent over a decade at Apple, working with Steve reach new heights for Apple. He has perhaps seen the most chaotic and most successful times at Apple. At the same time, the Apple culture is drilled into him. He may do things differently, go beyond what his predecessor permitted, but what matters is rolling out great products and when at job doing that, Apple remains the same.
Speaking of culture, it lives longer than a human being and that might well be Jobs greatest gift to Apple.
b) Don’t judge the entrepreneur, he is captain of a ship
A lot of respect for Steve Jobs emerges from the fact that he is one of the greatest entrepreneurs in history. It is hard to not think of him from past where he struggled, created things from scratch and made his way to the top. But past remains in the past, Tim Cook isn’t starting an Apple 2, he is running the only Apple Inc we know. If and when Tim Cook starts a new company, we would judge him as an entrepreneur. For now, I would see him as someone with entrepreneurial approach, running the lots of smaller startups within Apple.
c) TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More
As much as you would like to believe that Apple was run by Steve Jobs alone, that’s not true. You won’t see an iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod, iPad, iPhone and whatever next done end to end by one person. As a CEO, Tim Cook may take the call on what goes through and what doesn’t. But he is backed by a great team of designers, engineers & marketeers to take that call. The Apple leadership isn’t gone yet. Tim has their support.
d) Tim != Steve
Tim Cook is no Steve Jobs. Apple is giving dividends, does charity and the CEO is pictured at a Foxconn factory in China. By being himself, Tim has already taken the burden of Steve legacy. He is already not seen through the same lens as Steve and that only helps Apple. He still talks about secrecy, creating great products and love for what he does, but he isn’t Steve Jobs when he says so.
As time passes, Tim has the opportunity to prove to the cynics that consumers are tied to Apple and its products, not the man behind the company.
e) He doesn’t make products, he oversees the efficiency
Tim Cook is different from Jobs. While Jobs would be neck-deep into products, Tim Cook is known as an operations champ who oversees the vast manufacturing operations, empowers Apple’s hardware dominance and makes sure that innovation is delivered. Lets not judge him as the one designing the products? Sir John is still around after all 🙂