Apple has been successful due to Steve Jobs being both a visionary and a fastidious micro-manager about front-end design and back-end execution. No detail falls off his radar screen.
It is almost as though Steve asks, “What would I personally want in a product? What’s missing that would make this really exciting?” And, then, he personally leads the effort to develop and commercialize the product.
When Apple customers suffered an antenna problem with a new iPhone, an SVP lost his job. In Steve’s mind, customers never should have suffered with the problem. Poor execution followed by immediate accountability. How often do we see that in the business world?
Steve Jobs has delighted his customers and shareholders. He’s folllowed other marketplace innovations with breakthrough innovations.
- There were mp3 players before the iPod.
- There were smartphones before the iPhone.
- There were tablet computers before the iPad.
- There was cloud computing before the iCloud.
Look at the embarrassment HP has just suffered with its TouchPad tablet. HP sold 25,000 units in the first month of availability–Apple sold 3 million iPads in the first 80 days. HP’s half-baked effort reflected poorly on its brand.
In Steve Jobs, we have seen genius at work. But, the genius is in both the innovation and the execution. Bravo, Steve, bravo.
I pray Steve can continue to do what he loves for as long as he wants.
Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting
http://www.gardnerandassoc.com
© 2011 Dave Gardner
Posted by Dave Gardner 
Business Execution Insights 