Bus 610 Organizational Behavior

Article regarding Steve Jobs

There can be little debate that Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. changed the ways in which people communicate over the past two decades. Although Jobs passed away in 2011, Apple's numerous innovative products have dramatically increased access to information of all types and made it easier for individuals to contact one another and interact with various businesses.

Creating and sustaining such an impactful company required quality communication skills. Jobs's career provides an example of the effective use of information and communication. His dramatic launches of new products in front of live audiences were well documented.

Jobs believed in several key principles. One involved being willing and able to say "no." He was personally responsible for stopping a project that would have created a device similar to a Palm Pilot, concentrating instead on developing the iPod and iPhone. Jobs strived for simplicity in communication and in all Apple products. He also maintained small groups in order to effectively facilitate various activities (Qualman, 2011).

While many hailed and praised Jobs's approach to communication, critics also emerged. One coworker noted that "The highs were unbelievable. . .but the lows were unimaginable" (Dumaine & Berlin, 1983). Jef Raskin, a former colleague, once said that Jobs "would have made an excellent King of France" due to his compelling and larger-than-life persona (Appleyard, 2009).

A major communication challenge occurred when Jobs became ill and was forced to first take a leave of absence and then to step down as CEO of Apple. Several health concerns caused him to take temporary leaves starting in 2004, and for the most part his absence was shrouded in a level of secrecy in order to maintain his personal privacy while preserving the appearance that the company remained strong and vibrant. After Jobs's first absence due to illness was announced, the company's stock immediately dropped in value. When he returned, several observers noted that his once-dynamic speeches had become listless and lacked energy. Issues with his pancreas and later a liver transplant created these complications (Wingfield, 2011). Jobs permanently stepped down on August 24, 2011. The announcement led to audible groans from his audience. When Jobs died later that year, industry analysts wondered how the loss of such a dynamic innovator and communicator would impact Apple for the foreseeable future.