Is Apple Company any better after Steve Jobs Death?
Succession in Apple Company remained a tussle among the interested potential CEOs after the death of Steve Jobs death in 2011 (Chen). The employees of the company were worried and felt hopeless as they thought everything in Apple will change including the nature of the working environment and working conditions. There was a need for a more practical CEO who will streamline everything in Apple to raise its performance. While everyone though that Apple Company was on its ways to the grave with Steve Jobs, things turned out to be a surprise. Tim Cook took up the position and began to make everything out. He focused on the reshuffling of the company executive, appeasing the investors, expanding Apples distribution, leading the product line of the company as well as watching the company stock grow. Tim Cook turned out to be the right man for the right job (Myslewski).
Recently, analysts have tried to compare the company under Tim Cook against his predecessor Steve Jobs. The two CEOs seem to be the exact opposites. If Jobs was ever an idealist, then it is safe to say that Cook is a practical leader. The management strategies and styles that Tim Cook has put in place are credible. He is out to outsmart Steve’s legacy. The new CEO is fully aware of what human resource management entails. Employee motivation a stimulating work environment are among the key things that Tim Cook highly considers. Change is what he desires. Once he was named the new CEO, his first move was to email al the Company employees to reassure them that everything is safe. He appeared in the cafeteria to have a meal with his employees together, something that Steve Jobs never did. Tim Cook in the light of many has proven to be a more practical and leader for change.
Connection to Management Topics
The transition of leadership in Apple Company is one of the most outstanding one ever experienced in the world. Moat companies have always failed whenever their CEOs retire or upon death. Passing the leadership button to a person who shares the same philosophies as the predecessor is usually a challenge. Tim Cook, after taking over as the new CEO of Apple has tried to be a transformational leader.
Transformational leadership is a very challenging aspect of management. Tim Cook is beating all odds, breaking all barriers to be a better leader Apple Company has ever had since the death of Steve Jobs, the former CEO. To implement the transformational agenda, Cook began by reshuffling the top executive of the company. He looked at the strengths and weaknesses in the former team. Bearing their strengths in mind, he elevated some of the leaders within the company to top capacities while switching others to positions they are best suited.
Cook believes in role modelling and mentorship in leadership. In his office, hang the photos and portraits of his heroes, Robert F. Kennedy and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He highly regards these characters as his mentors and heroes. He desires to be one like them. The implication of this mentorship spirit in leadership is that Tim Cook is a visionary leader. He is a leader who has a sense of direction and a focus. He knows what he wants and how to reach it. The philosophies that ever worked for his mentors give him a driving force motive to pursue greater goals. Leadership is all about the willingness and readiness to learn from other people’s successes and failures. Tim Cook will make a better leader for Apple because of his readiness and willingness to embrace what has worked for others. He sets his goals very clearly and with a motive to attain them.
Employee motivation is among the key aspects that Tim Cook is very keen on. It is surprising that a few months after confirming his position as the new CEO of Apple Company, Tim Cook sent his first mail to the all the company employees reassuring them of a better future that awaits the Company under his leadership. Aware that the employees were losing hope following Steve Jobs deaths, Tim Cook knew that it was right for him to first reassure the employees that they are safe working under him as the CEO (Y. I. Kane). He emphasized on his readiness to work with them as team members aiming to score the same goal. Among the key things that he did was to promote some of the company employees. For example, he promoted Eddy Cue to the internet service management. He was sure that this move would boost the company both internally and externally. Moreover, the new CEO made frequent communications to the employees via mails and town-hall meetings. Unlike the former CEO, Steve Jobs, who had little time for and with the employees, the new CEO, Tim Cook has demonstrated a more employee close relationship. The CEO understands how great Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs can be utilized to motivate the employees. He ranges the motives from physiological to self-actualization needs. Tim Cook created a more relaxed working atmosphere for the employees. Indeed, this move acted to motivate the employees (Kane).
It is not that Tim Cook never met opposition. In fact, there were a group of employees who were very skeptic and made a lot of resistance to changes that Tim Cook had brought forth. There is a group of employees who have been very doubtful and have lived to oppose the moves made by Tim Cook to transform the organization. Some resistant groups doubted the strategies that Tim Cook had come with to change the status of the company. They started spilling doubts on the future of the company. These resistances, however, did not surprise the new CEO. Tim Cook clearly knows that not everyone shares the same vision with him, but he is relentless to allow these resistant groups to deter him from implementing the strategies he has for Apple Corporation. Tim Cook knows how to handle these groups.
Lessons Learned
After carefully reading through and analyzing the transition of power in Apple Corroboration after the death of the former CEO, Steve Jobs, I have made a remarkable observation about leadership and management. The first observation is about goal setting and mentorship in leadership as embraced by Tim Cook. It is clear that a transformational leadership is founded on a clear vision and following the right foot-steps. Cook admires the leadership of Rev. Martin Luther and Robert F. Kennedy.
Another observation is that the employee motivation is an integral part of succeeds. Motivating the employees is a critical part of human resource management. Coordination and teamwork are very possible once the employees are motivated. However, is notable that every move towards creating change meets resistances. There are skeptical people who will always oppose the change agenda. Proper decision making is important in dealing with such groups.
It is also appreciable that goal setting and planning are among the key ingredients that can sustain the leadership. A good leader must know how to deal with every situation that arises including the challenges. Planning makes it possible to identify the likelihood of failures and achievements ahead of time. I am persuaded that the strategies mapped by Tim Cook are worth to steer Apple Corporation to the right direction.
Works Cited
Chen, Brian X. "Apple and Google End Patent Fights." New York Times 17 May 2014: B2. www.google.com/search?q=Brian+X.+Chen-May+17%2C+2014&oq=Brian+X.+Chen-May+17%2C+2014&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8.
Kane. "Haunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs." The Wall Street Journal (2014): 12-14.
Kane, Yukari Iwatani. The Job After Steve Jobs: Tim Cook and Apple. 28 February 2014. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304610404579405420617578250. 23 May 2014.
Myslewski, Rik. Two years after Steve Jobs' death, how's that new CEO working out? 5 October 2013. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/05/tim_cook_and_apple_two_years_after_steve_jobs_death/. 23 May 2014.
