http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57570274-37/apple-chairman-levinson-i-still-miss-steve/
A company needs a heart and soul to be extraordinary. Bill Gates (Microsoft), Sam Walton (Walmart), Mark Zuckerburg (Facebook), and Steve Jobs (Apple), are remarkable entrepreneurs that became the soul of their company. Apple's current chairman Arthur Levinson recently said, "I'm still not to the point where I walk into that board room and don't miss Steve." Apple is the trophy of a man who became the heart and soul of his company. Apple was able to create new peaks in the industry of technology because it was driven by a wildly passionate man. From the time that Jobs passed, there is empirical evidence that Apple is now slipping from its once firmly-footed ground. The company's stock price is down 32% from 6 months ago, and there is no doubt that Apple will continue to suffer setbacks as they look forward.
I think you missed a person on your list of Souls of Companies- Jeff Bezos (Amazon)
ReplyDeleteEvidence: http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2013/01/08/why-jeff-bezos-is-our-greatest-living-ceo/
Its definitely true without the driving force, the person with the vision and the desire, it is difficult for a company to move forward.
ReplyDeleteThey just need to find another charismatic raving lunatic. How hard can it be?
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how much a company changes when its leadership changes, especially when its entrepreneur leaves. They've gotta have someone that has caught the vision, or they won't make it very far.
ReplyDeleteAnd may Apple forever rest in pieces... Steve Jobs did have passion and drive, it's just that he was trying to compete with something completely out of his league, with a product not even worth 1/4 its price tag.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end of the spectrum you have companies like IBM and Intel where the founders have long gone and there doesn't seem to be that all amazing CEO. By your definition we could call them soulless. That said they have done reasonably well in the last several decades.
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