"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t
matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve
done something wonderful, that’s
what matters to me." —Steve Jobs
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Steve and I (Jay Elliot, Former Senior VP of Apple) spent a lot of time discussing the core of the company’s values. He kept
emphasizing that they had to reflect the nature of a start-up company and of a company
driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and products that truly satisfied the user. He wanted
the company to be based on values, and he wanted values that would remind
everyone not to compromise the integrity of the product in the name of profit. He wanted the company
to be an innovator and a premier manufacturer of personal computers—but as the value
leader,
not the price leader.
He also wanted the statement to be based on two further premises:
Achieving our goals is important to us.
We are equally concerned with the way we reach
those goals.
We had long discussions about what should be included in a values statement
for Apple.What I ame up with, following his guidance, was a document that began
by stating the business principles and then presented a set of values.
The business principles included these items:
- To follow the principles of human engineering to build “friendly” products whose simplicity and ease of use make them natural extensions of their owners.
- To create a worldwide customer service organization to service retailers, distributors, and technical support centers, unmatched in the industry.
When we had finished our work, the set of values included these:
Value 1—Empathy for the users
Offer superior products that fill real needs and provide lasting value.
We are interested in solving customer problems, while not compromising ethics
or integrity in the name of profit.
Value 2—Aggressiveness
Set aggressive goals and drive ourselves hard to achieve them. Recognize this
is a unique time when our products will change the way people work and live.
Value 3—Positive social contribution
Make a positive social contribution. As a corporate citizen, we should be
an economic, intellectual, and social asset in communities where we operate.
But beyond that we expect to make this world a better place to live. We build
products that extend human capability.
Value 4—Innovation and Vision
Innovation and Vision to build our company by providing products that are
new and needed. We accept the risk inherent in following our vision and work to
develop leadership products.
Value 5—Individual performance
We expect individual commitment and performance above the standard for
industry. Only then can we make profits that permit the investment in
other corporate objectives.
Value 6—Team spirit
Teamwork is essential to the success of Apple, for each job is too big to
be done by only one person. Individuals are encouraged to interact with all
levels of management, sharing ideas and suggestions to improve Apple’s effectiveness and our
contribution to quality of life.
Value 7—Quality
We care about what we do. We build into Apple products a level of quality,
performance, and value to earn the respect and loyalty of our customers.
Value 8—Individual reward
We recognize each person’s contribution to Apple’s success and we share
the financial rewards that flow from high performance. We recognize that rewards must be psychological
as well as financial and strive for an atmosphere where each individual can share the
adventure and excitement of working at Apple.
Value 9—Great management
The attitudes of a manager toward people are of primary importance. Employees
should be able to trust the motives and integrity of their supervisors. It is
the responsibility of management to create a productive environment where Apple
values flourish.
These values became part of everyday communication and a standard by which
employees could measure how they themselves and their management were
performing.
Source --- Leading Apple with Steve Jobs: Management Lessons from a Controversial Genius by Jay Elliot, Former Senior VP of Apple (2012)
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