Steve Jobs: Very Powerful, Possibly a Jerk<\/p>\n
There are many lessons to be learned from Steve Jobs. His life as a remarkable CEO, an incredible leader, and an astonishing visionary has surely contributed towards the success of Apple.\u00a0 When looking at his success, it is vital to analyze his ability to conjure power and influence over others throughout his career.\u00a0 Although I have not conducted enough research to know in full detail his work experiences or ethic, from a few articles I will try to infer how he was able to captivate, inspire, motivate, or even force his employees to effectively work to bring Apple to where it is today.<\/p>\n
Beginning with the obvious, Steve Jobs exerted both legitimate and expert power.\u00a0 As the CEO of the company, he was in the position to make important decisions to lead the organization. The social structure of a corporation allowed him to exert influence over employees who worked under him.\u00a0\u00a0 His expert power is best described by McNichol when he says, \u201cHe had an uncanny sixth sense about what consumers wanted, an unmatched ability to adapt existing technology and change it into something new, and a commitment to quality that changed ordinary customers into fans for life\u201d (McNichol 2011).\u00a0 His skills had allowed other Apple employees to trust in him, giving him power not only over other colleagues but even some dedicated consumers.\u00a0 However despite both these obvious sources of power that one could argue any CEO would have, Steve Jobs had not limited himself to these methods as he utilized many other bases for social influence.<\/p>\n
Although it may not be well-known, it is stated by many who worked close to Steve that he just was, for lack of better word, a total asshole.\u00a0 An article states that he was, \u201cpetulant, rude, spiteful, and controlling, a man who thought nothing of publicly humiliating employees, hogging the credit for work he hadn\u2019t done, throwing tantrums when he didn\u2019t get his way\u201d (McNichol 2011).\u00a0 Despite his genius, he was said to be a terrible manager, and used terrible tactics to influence his employees.\u00a0 This is an example of coercive power, in which he is manipulating employees through social punishment such as humiliation.\u00a0 This is surprising to me considering that I had never heard about this side of Steve Jobs, and it doesn\u2019t seem to fit his public persona.\u00a0 It however it is not surprising to me that employees had given in and enabled this behaviour by conforming to the demands with high probability for the sake of following the orders of their CEO and his expert and legitimate power over them.\u00a0 The introduction of coercive power in Apple\u2019s work environment however I would guess is limited considering that if it were the primary source of power, his employees would still not have had held him in a positive esteem or valence (French & Raven 1959).\u00a0 Steve Jobs\u2019 harsh actions or use of coercive power can possibly be explained by another article written by Joan Michelson stating that he didn\u2019t care about being liked, and that he didn\u2019t care about causing conflict. Steve apparently felt that consensus was a representation of unanimity, which was the opposite of creativity.\u00a0 It is further stated that, \u201cconsensus breeds mediocrity,\u201d and that \u201cbig game-changing ideas \u2013 are not arrived at by consensus\u201d (Michelson 2011).\u00a0 His use of coercive power is still debated by McNichol as disruptive and against the overall productivity of the company, but despite its effect on the company\u2019s success, still granted Steve an additional source of power that contributed toward his strong social positioning.<\/p>\n
In the articles I have reviewed, I have not found any evidence of referent power, although I am sure had been prevalent.\u00a0 I would assume that his skills within the company spoke for themselves, and I am sure people were willing to meet his requests simply for the sake of identifying with him. Without any evidence I cannot make any more inferences about his referent power besides the fact that if I were working for Apple and saw Steve Jobs working really late when he obviously could go home, I would without even realizing it, start caring a little more and working a little harder.<\/p>\n
Despite his various sources of power that all contribute toward a tremendous amount of influence, Steve Jobs as many of you may know had faced many obstacles including his forced departure from Apple in 1985, his business failure of NeXT Computers, and pancreatic cancer that eventually led to his death recently in 2011.\u00a0 Beginning with him being fired from Apple, Steve was actually simply removed from his responsibilities to manage the Macintosh group, and was given a desk job (Siegel 2011).\u00a0 It was this removal of his power that motivated him to start NeXT computers, which although failed in the end, brought him to Pixar, and ironically in the end back to being the CEO of Apple once again. This is a perfect example of the paradox of power referred to in the article written by David Calabria. One tool in the article is stated, \u201cBring different power centres together, through diplomacy, to resolve conflicts in order that the corporation may survive\u201d (Calabria 1982). \u00a0Although his conflicts with other colleagues may have caused his departure from the company, his eventual return has proven to show Steve\u2019s resilience and determination to succeed.\u00a0 One way to look at it would be that Steve utilized his remaining power to fight through the existing conflict with the CEO he had appointed to eventually return to take his place.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, I feel that one can have many sources of power, but without being careful can still have that work against them. It is important to consider the scope of one\u2019s power, and to not let it extend out of your reach. Despite Steve\u2019s debated use of coercive power, his career, attitude, skill set, and accomplishments inspire and motivate me.\u00a0 May he rest in peace.<\/p>\n
References:<\/p>\n
Calabria, C. D. \u201cCEO\u2019s and the Paradox of Power.\u201d Business Horizons, <\/em>January \u2013 February 1982, pp. 29-31.<\/p>\n French, R. P. J., & Raven, B. \u201cThe bases of Social Power.\u201d Studies of Social Power. <\/em>Pp. 150 \u2013 67.<\/p>\n McNichol, T. \u201cBe a Jerk: The Worst Business Lesson from the Steve Jobs Biography.\u201d The Atlantic. <\/em>November 28, 2011 <http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/business\/archive\/2011\/11\/be-a-jerk-the-worst-business-lesson-from-the-steve-jobs-biography\/249136><\/p>\n Michelson, J. \u201cOne Lesson from Steve Jobs We Missed \u2013 Embrace Conflict.\u201d Huff Post Books Canada. <\/em>November 11, 2011 <http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/joan-michelson\/one-lesson-from-steve-job_b_1100331.html><\/p>\n Siegel, J. \u201cWhen Steve Jobs got Fired from Apple.\u201d ABC News. <\/em>October 6, 2011 <http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Technology\/steve-jobs-fire-company\/story?id=14683754><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Steve Jobs: Very Powerful, Possibly a Jerk There are many lessons to be learned from Steve Jobs. His life as a remarkable CEO, an incredible leader, and an astonishing visionary has surely contributed towards the success of Apple.\u00a0 When looking … Continue reading