Meetings Blog Nov 22, 2021
The quotations that become famous do so for a reason, often providing us with deeper insight, inspiration or another emotional link. In our series we reflect on various famous quotes and how they can be used to feed the demands of meeting and event planners. Today: Steve Jobs.
Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower
Pod, Phone, Pad, Tunes, Watch, Mac. On their own, these words don’t carry huge significance. Add a small letter ‘i’ to the front of them (or ‘Apple’ in the case of the wearable), however, and everything changes. Not only does the thought of the latest iPhone or iWatch create images of a stunning piece of technology; for many it conjures up an emotional response deep within their being. There is no doubt that Apple Inc. has built up a cult following since around the turn of the century, and the man responsible for this, along with a very select team behind him, was Steve Jobs.
Jobs passed away in 2011, but he left behind an incredible legacy. From his early beginnings developing ideas in his garage, through founding and being fired from Apple, to returning, saving and then nurturing the world’s richest company, his story has been told countless times. And as well as the technological advances that he put into the homes and hands of consumers, he also offered numerous insights into how we all interact with each other on a human and business level.
His quote above could have come from the mouth of so many others, but it somehow provides a better impact from this specific entrepreneur as he was not necessarily seen as a typical ´leader of people´. His style was often criticized in terms of poor communication and many of his employees were said not to have liked him. As mentioned above, despite building Apple up with his bare hands, his board decided to fire him due to the direction he was taking.
That said, he was indeed able to lead. And many followed. Why was this? Because he had an astonishing influence over people and through that innovation he talks about was able to show the way forward. Many leaders gain respect from the way they treat others. Jobs achieved it by being the best, by inspiring through ideas, by innovating and pushing the boundaries, and by maintaining authenticity to who he was throughout. He could have just plumped for the orthodox text font for the Mac, for example, but an unexpected calligraphy class thankfully changed that particular path.
Planners also strive to deliver world-class events and with a multitude of personalities and characters across the industry it may be that innovation is the way to lead others to success. Rather than following trends, set them. Instead of settling for the standard, create the new baseline. Look around at all the possibilities, learn from others in your field or experts beyond it. Link up with professionals that share your goals and those that can complement your skills. And treating those you come into contact with nicely doesn’t have to be forgone, of course!
Steve once said that you cannot join up the dots in your future in the present, but instead you just have to believe that they will connect. Follow you heart, be the best in everything you do, and others will follow your successes. As Steve Jobs reminded us in a Stanford University graduation speech: ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish’.
