Examining “Steve Jobs and the Eureka Myth”

Adrian Slywotzky really puts a finger on the specialness of how the Apple phenomenon of success has happened in such a short period of time in his Harvard Business Review article, “Steve Jobs and the Eureka Myth.”

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs rejoined the company in 1997, and in just 14 years has guided Apple to become one of the world’s most profitable, visible and envied brands while competitors remained immobilized by broken business practices that had not changed much in decades.

The contrast between Apple and many other companies – competitors and non-competitors, alike – is striking. While too many corporations talk innovation and uniqueness, they may lack authentic strategic vision, consensus and planning. What they often embrace are outdated MBA tactics of another era … that probably didn’t work then, either.

Slywotzky writes that after creating and winnowing perfect prototypes and intricate layers of business design, Apple engineers “the perfect customer experience to create customer conversation and buzz.”

“Customer conversation and buzz.” The secret is simple … it’s about focusing on the customer, not yourself. In his presentations, Jobs does not talk about Apple, the company, but about the customer experience, about how you and I may share his passion for a new product.

“Apple would love us to believe it’s all ‘Eureka,’” Slywotzky writes. “But Apple produces 10 pixel-perfect prototypes for each feature. They compete — and are winnowed down to three, then one, resulting in a highly evolved winner.”

Slywotzky then hits on the magic:

“Apple knows the more you compete inside, the less you’ll have to compete outside.”

While I understand his use of the word, “compete,” to make his alliterative point, I believe it goes beyond the word, compete.  What goes on inside Apple is understanding and consensus about clear vision and purpose, challenging of one’s own self to strive for excellence and a productive team approach unlike most other organizations. In other words, what goes on is more positive than the usual connotation of the word, compete. Nonetheless, we get his point.

There, again, is a significant contrast between Apple and nearly everyone else. The people in Cupertino are motivated by exceptional, contrarian and bold leadership not afraid of taking reasonable chances. Other companies may have competent people at the helm who are hobbled by internal politics and turf wars, consuming time, money and energy that could be more productively focused on success … like Apple.

Related posts:

1. Steve Jobs Is Not Dead
2. Steve Jobs, the Common Sense Contrarian
3. News Alert: Steve Jobs is Speaking!
4. Today’s Myth: “Main Street America…”
5. iBlackeye or Not?

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