“That Steve Jobs was a genius, a giant influence on multiple industries and billions of lives, has been written many times since he retired as Apple’s CEO in August. He was a historical figure on the scale of a Thomas Edison or a Henry Ford, and set the mold for many other corporate leaders in many other industries,” Walt Mossberg writes for AllThingsD.
“He did what a CEO should: Hired and inspired great people; managed for the long term, not the quarter or the short-term stock price; made big bets and took big risks,” Mossberg writes. “He insisted on the highest product quality and on building things to delight and empower actual users, not intermediaries like corporate IT directors or wireless carriers. And he could sell. Man, he could sell.”
“As he liked to say, he lived at the intersection of technology and liberal arts,” Mossberg writes.
“But there was a more personal side of Steve Jobs, of course, and I was fortunate enough to see a bit of it, because I spent hours in conversation with him, over the 14 years he ran Apple,” Mossberg writes. “Since I am a product reviewer, and not a news reporter charged with covering the company’s business, he felt a bit more comfortable talking to me about things he might not have said to most other journalists.”
Mossberg writes, “Even in his death, I won’t violate the privacy of those conversations. But here are a few stories that illustrate the man as I knew him.”
Read more in the full article – recommended – here.
Related articles:
Tim Cook aims to carry on for ‘creative genius’ Steve Jobs – October 6, 2011
Woz: Steve Jobs brought a lot of life to the world – October 6, 2011
Statement from Steve Jobs’ family after his passing – October 6, 2011
Tim Cook’s memo to Apple employees about the passing of Steve Jobs – October 5, 2011
Friends and business rivals mourn the passing of Steve Jobs – October 5, 2011
Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, dead at 56 – October 5, 2011
Thanks, Uncle Walt.
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O boy……
Not so much “Thomas Edison or a Henry Ford” in my mind, as Leonardo Da Vinci. More the intersection of art and science. The ability to not only SEE the future, but to make it happen in his vision. Truly a force of nature.
I think you’re exactly right.
I’ve always kind of thought he was a mix of them, including Tesla in that list.
He had the artistic values of Da Vinci
He had the simplistic design awareness and vision of Tesla
He had the salesmanship and showmanship of Edison and Ford.
Really a force of nature that man was.
Now, I think YOU’RE exactly right. Thanks for sharing.
I think you’re wrong. Leonardo Never finished a work completely, he used to be distracted quickly by new ventures and interests. Jobs’ persistence and perseverance equals Edison and that’s the reason why we enjoy now this marvelous technology.
I was referring to the essence of his creativity, the intersection of art and science. Something he referred to many times when talking about Apple. But yea, Leonardo never did quite get that Mona Lisa or Last Supper done quite right…..
Thank you Walt for your insightful recollections of one of the greatest personas of our era. I will dearly miss those interviews you enjoyed with Steve on AllthingsD because they offered that rare insight into the thinking of a true genius and visionary. May he be at peace.
In reading so many tributes from so many people in all walks of life, two names stand out by their absence: Steve Ballmer and Jeff Bozos.
R. I. P. Steve you old pirate, you.
I am no Ballmer fan, but he did respond…
http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/oct11/10-05statement.mspx