“Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts • Hacker News Board

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#31

Post by podperson » Sun, May 08, 2011, 2:35 AM UTC

leoc wrote: post #19

shazow wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the janitor didn't have reasons to hide behind, then he should have taken initiative to get the new keys or pick the lock or break the door or whatever it'll take to achieve his goal. The notion is that a VP shouldn't have reasons to hide behind. She must achieve her goal using any approach necessary, especially since her process is not spelled out for her like the janitor's is. A VP should take initiative even if…

Roughly speaking, this is also supposed to be the difference between a professional and an employee, and between an officer and an enlisted man (though a good military will also encourage initiative at all ranks).

So will a good corporation. The point is expecting vs. encouraging initiative.

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#32

Post by andos » Sun, May 08, 2011, 3:11 AM UTC

bstx wrote: post #21

andos wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The noteworthy stuff is that Jonathan Ive reports directly to Steve Jobs, while Bob Mansfield, SVP of Hardware¹, reports to Tim Cook. That shows what Apple is all about. ¹. The chart says "SVP of Mac Hardware", but on the iPad 2 video he's presented as "SVP of Hardware".

> That shows what Apple is all about. Or the org chart is wrong. > The chart says "SVP of Mac Hardware", but on the iPad 2 video he's presented as "SVP of Hardware". He replaced Mark Papermaster as SVP of Devices Hardware.

The chart is certainly old. Wrong in what aspect?

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#33

Post by lancewiggs » Sun, May 08, 2011, 4:00 AM UTC

arkitaip wrote: post #24

"Steve Jobs hired dean of Yale School of Management Joel Podolny to run the Apple University, an internal group also featuring business professors and Harvard veterans that are writing a series of case studies to prepare employees for the life at Apple after Jobs." I would seriously pay to read that material.

Podolny was a star at Yale - presiding over a massive change in the MBA curriculum that made it a a lot more useful than the traditional subject by subject based approach.

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#34

Post by rooshdi » Sun, May 08, 2011, 4:18 AM UTC

shazow wrote: post #14

viraptor wrote: post #12

> “Somewhere between the janitor and the CEO, reasons stop mattering.” Anyone cares to explain that one? It left me confused really... The way I read it, he's a visionary and doesn't care how things are achieved as long as business is good. And to be honest that doesn't sound good for me - more like a dictator who will eliminate failing VPs whether the fault is on their side or somewhere else in the organisation.

If the janitor didn't have reasons to hide behind, then he should have taken initiative to get the new keys or pick the lock or break the door or whatever it'll take to achieve his goal. The notion is that a VP shouldn't have reasons to hide behind. She must achieve her goal using any approach necessary, especially since her process is not spelled out for her like the janitor's is. A VP should take initiative even if…

"Steve Jobs doesn't have expectations for janitors."

That whole ideology is unsettling to me. The way in which janitors are singled out as not having the same level of expectations to accomplish their tasks as a VP or any other position. I was a janitor for my high school, and I can tell you from my experience we busted our tails making sure the floors were swept and mopped and the all garbage was taken out on time every single day. Management had high expectations of us and refused excuses, which I respected them even more for. If you started slacking, you were out the door, period. Janitors are professionals too and I don't think it's professional to exemplify them as having inferior expectations or purpose compared to any other job. It's still a job and somebody has to do it, and do it well.

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#35

Post by mambodog » Sun, May 08, 2011, 4:54 AM UTC

rmason wrote: post #10

danilocampos wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Macintosh was a very different computer before Jobs got in there and took the reins. If you can spare six hours, folklore.org has an incredible collection of stories detailing early Apple. You won't be able to stop reading.

Yes from what I've read it was initially closer to what later became the Newton. Here's a link to the commencement address (13 minutes) if anyone wants to give a listen http://ht.ly/4P7M1

Please don't use URL shorteners on HN. If the URL is long (that one was not) you can use the footnote notation[1].

[1] http://spartanpodcast.com/?p=1510

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#36

Post by aik » Sun, May 08, 2011, 5:22 AM UTC

JacobAldridge wrote: post #3

"At Apple there’s never confusion 'as to who is responsible for what'." This is a project I run with almost all of my clients - shifting an organic, but dysfunctional, business arrangement into one where everyone knows their responsibility, and the right person does the right jobs at the right time (and for the right cost point). This is achieved by shifting focus. Most businesses evolve from the top down: when the b…

That's basically how the small startup I'm working with works. We're a total of 4 people, and at this size, and although we have a founder (or founder and a half), we all basically do what's necessary and everything we can.

The founder is very much against defining roles and job descriptions, despite us sometimes being tempted to go down that road. In the end it makes everything so much more pleasant.

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#37

Post by aik » Sun, May 08, 2011, 5:23 AM UTC

lancewiggs wrote: post #33

arkitaip wrote: post #24

"Steve Jobs hired dean of Yale School of Management Joel Podolny to run the Apple University, an internal group also featuring business professors and Harvard veterans that are writing a series of case studies to prepare employees for the life at Apple after Jobs." I would seriously pay to read that material.

Podolny was a star at Yale - presiding over a massive change in the MBA curriculum that made it a a lot more useful than the traditional subject by subject based approach.

Interesting. Do you know when that MBA curriculum change happened? Have details on how it is structured now? Have any studies been done on the effectiveness of the program post-restructuring?

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#38

Post by ikono » Sun, May 08, 2011, 7:58 AM UTC

shazow wrote: post #14

viraptor wrote: post #12

> “Somewhere between the janitor and the CEO, reasons stop mattering.” Anyone cares to explain that one? It left me confused really... The way I read it, he's a visionary and doesn't care how things are achieved as long as business is good. And to be honest that doesn't sound good for me - more like a dictator who will eliminate failing VPs whether the fault is on their side or somewhere else in the organisation.

If the janitor didn't have reasons to hide behind, then he should have taken initiative to get the new keys or pick the lock or break the door or whatever it'll take to achieve his goal. The notion is that a VP shouldn't have reasons to hide behind. She must achieve her goal using any approach necessary, especially since her process is not spelled out for her like the janitor's is. A VP should take initiative even if…

I don't really think it's about expectations or initiative. It's about accountability. He's simply saying that there are times when the guy on the bottom of the ladder has his hands tied and can say there is nothing he could have done(breaking and entering is not a viable option for a janitor). At some point someone has to take responsibility, Jobs says that starts at the VP level.

I also think people get a little carried away with this due to Jobs' persona. I don't think he means it in a, "you must get X done at all costs". I think he's simply saying, "This is your responsibility. You're accountable. Don't blame someone or something else".

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#39

Post by babar » Sun, May 08, 2011, 8:05 AM UTC

viraptor wrote: post #20

ajessup wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It means you can't hide behind excuses. If for example theres a problem with a vendor shipping components for a product line you're a VP for, it means you're responsible. It means the only acceptible answer is that you found a new supplier and we got the product out on time. Not 'we're late because our manufacturer couldn't hold up their end of the deal'. It's a great philosophy, to my mind it's what defines a true m…

Yeah, I get the idea of more responsibility, but don't really agree with how it was put... There are always things which simply cannot be resolved in a given timeframe and the reasonable decision might be to plan for a delay / propose an alternative plan instead - it looks like the VP gets the blame in that case instead of reconsidering the strategy, since reasons don't exist any more. More to the point - that senten…

I think the idea is that the VP is involved in setting the goal, so if they fail to achieve it they take the responsibility for not having planned correctly. If they agree to an impossible goal, it is on them. If conditions change and they see the goal will not be met, they need to manage the expectations and not allow the situation to surprise anyone, especially Steve Jobs, like the example in the article.

Re: “Inside Apple” Reveals Steve Jobs Anecdotes, Apple’s Little Known Facts

#40

Post by ikono » Sun, May 08, 2011, 8:09 AM UTC

viraptor wrote: post #20

ajessup wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It means you can't hide behind excuses. If for example theres a problem with a vendor shipping components for a product line you're a VP for, it means you're responsible. It means the only acceptible answer is that you found a new supplier and we got the product out on time. Not 'we're late because our manufacturer couldn't hold up their end of the deal'. It's a great philosophy, to my mind it's what defines a true m…

Yeah, I get the idea of more responsibility, but don't really agree with how it was put... There are always things which simply cannot be resolved in a given timeframe and the reasonable decision might be to plan for a delay / propose an alternative plan instead - it looks like the VP gets the blame in that case instead of reconsidering the strategy, since reasons don't exist any more. More to the point - that senten…

Honestly, while I understand what you're saying, I disagree. Changing plans and/or pushing back schedules is independent on who's responsible or to blame. If something happened that can't be worked around and my VP neither made contingencies or raised that risk to me from the start. It's their fault. Period. Might sound harsh, but I can't see how you do it any other way.