Tim Cook has been named #1 on Fortune’s new list of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders for 2015. Cook is featured on the new cover of Fortune and the cover story includes a wide-ranging interview with the Apple CEO.
Highlights from Fortune’s exclusive interview with Apple Ceo Tim Cook:
On what he learned taking over for Steve Jobs, and how he dealt with the scrutiny: “I have thick skin, but it got thicker. What I learned after Steve passed away, what I had known only at a theoretical level, an academic level maybe, was that he was an incredible heat shield for us, his executive team. None of us probably appreciated that enough because it’s not something we were fixated on. We were fixated on our products and running the business. But he really took any kind of spears that were thrown. He took the praise as well. But to be honest, the intensity was more than I would ever have expected…. You pick up certain skills when the truck is running across your back. Maybe this will be something great that I’ll use in other aspects of my life over time.”
On his decision to come out as gay publicly last fall: “I didn’t feel like business was exactly leading the way in the executive suite…. To be honest, if I would not have come to the conclusion that it would likely help other people, I would have never done it…. There’s no joy in me putting my life in view.”
On responding to his critics: “I’m not running for office…. I don’t need your vote. I have to feel myself doing what’s right. If I’m the arbiter of that instead of letting the guy on TV be that or someone who doesn’t know me at all, then I think that’s a much better way to live.”
On his education as CEO: “You’re engaged in so many things that each particular thing gets a little less attention. You need to be able to operate on shorter cycles, less data points, less knowledge, less facts. When you’re an engineer, you want to analyze things a lot. But if you believe that the most important data points are people, then you have to make conclusions in relatively short order. Because you want to push the people who are doing great. And you want to either develop the people who are not or, in a worst case, they need to be somewhere else.”
On the company becoming more open to the media: “My objective is to raise the public profile of several of the folks on the executive team, and others as well. Because I think that’s good for Apple at the end of the day.”
On Apple investors: “The kind of investors we seek are long term because that’s how we make our decisions…. If you’re a short-term investor, obviously you’ve got the right to buy the stock and trade it the way you want. It’s your decision. But I want everybody to know that’s not how we run the company.”
On the company’s new ‘Apple Campus 2,’ Cook calls it, “the mother of all products,” and on the new 1,000-seat auditorium which will be the company’s new site for all its public presentations other than its annual developers conference, Cook adds: “No more scheduling months ahead of time around other people’s schedules.”
Apple SVP Eddy Cue says of Cook: “He never tried to be Steve…. He tried to always be himself. He has been very good at letting us do our thing. He’s aware and involved at the high end, and he gets involved as needed. Steve got involved at the pixel level.”
Fortune Assistant Managing Editor and author of the book Inside Apple, Adam Lashinsky, writes: “Since replacing his legendary predecessor, the Apple CEO has led the technology behemoth to even greater financial success. Along the way he’s changed the culture of the company – boldly pushing it in directions Steve Jobs never would have – and found his public voice as a leader.”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Fortune certainly got #1 right!
Now about #6, Fortune: Taylor Swift? Really? Ahead of John Roberts Jr., the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (#8)? At least Pope Francis (#4) came in ahead of her.
Fortune’s Top 10 Greatest Leaders in the World 2015:
1. Tim Cook, CEO / Apple Inc.
2. Mario Draghi, President / European Central Bank
3. Xi Jinping, President / People’s Republic of China
4. Pope Francis, Pontiff / Catholic Church
5. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister / India
6. Taylor Swift, Pop Star
7. Joanne Liu, International President / Médecins Sans Frontières
8. John Roberts Jr., Chief Justice / Supreme Court
9. Mary Barra, CEO / GM
10. Joshua Wong, Activist / Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Movement
Not true…
They are not reading the analysts, apple is doomed due to Tim Cook.
I think a lot of people read the analysts, but I’m sure those that actually believe the drivel they write are in the minority, at least those who are regular visitors at MDN.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha aaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah hahahahahahahahahhahaahahahahahaha
Fire Steve Cook. or whatever he’s called. 🙂
People are too defensive of apple…
Some just can’t see the joke.
Another great indication of Tim Cook’s value as a leader not only to Apple but to many others. Steve Jobs chose well.
Shows you that Steve Jobs knew exactly the right man for his job and he is proving it everyday. Anal-ists keep trying to shovel there crap and are ALWAYS WRONG!
“I have to feel myself doing what’s right.”
That is the stand out comment for me. Tim has great taste, stands up for what he believes in and consistently acts like a gentleman. By doing what he believes is right, he has a consistent reference point. If he were taking cues from others, there would be no way that he could stay consistent as those other people would be too likely to make suggestions that fitted their own agendas.
Taylor Swift is number 5 ? wtf- that must be a joke
Any list about leaders with Taylor Swift on it is meaningless.
Taylor Swift is the CEO of “Taylor Swift”, the brand. As such she has done remarkable things. Many new and innovative. In the context of the music business world she has had a meteoric rise in influence. Fortune’s list isn’t a critique of her music.
Meteoric, indeed. I have never listened to a single track of hers. But I am VERY aware of her marketing. She has done a mind-bogglingly job of building the Taylor Swift brand – to a degree of effectiveness that any business person should admire.
I get the feeling he may be aiming fir the White House !
I would vote for him.
But i also hope he stays at apple for a loooooooooooooong time
Two thoughts crossed my mind as I looked at Fortune’s top 10.
First, to all those people who said Apple was doomed without Steve Jobs. A big FU to you all.
Second, where’s Barry?
Whats up with Taylor ?????😳
On Apple investors: “The kind of investors we seek are long term because that’s how we make our decisions…. If you’re a short-term investor, obviously you’ve got the right to buy the stock and trade it the way you want. It’s your decision. But I want everybody to know that’s not how we run the company.”
GOOD for you TC! Tell ’em!
There are a few here and many out there that think the opposite. It is their money invested and they want quick returns, no matter what it means. Take your money elsewhere!