I am one of Steve Job’s big fans.
I don’t think I would have enjoyed working for him, considering his reputation – and working for Apple (although indirectly) was a weird experience even if fun somehow.
But his speech in Stanford in 2005 is one of the best testimony I ever heard from anyone.
The text is here, if you want to read it when you have a moment.
I think many people can relate this speech to their own lives. It does not matter if most of us haven’t been as successful as Jobs: we all have been to some extent, whatever our achievements can be. Being out of the scheme, out of traditional paths, I agree with most of his statements:
- connecting the dots: oh yes, when you think about the past and all you’ve experienced, it definitely makes sense.
- love and loss makes perfect sense. Loosing is only one facet of love, you can’t know one without experiencing its opposite at some point
- death, nothing much to add to what he said.
Moderating trick.
I use Apple for packaging research. It takes five minutes and it makes the group understand everything.
1. I write “Apple” on flip chart and draw a circle around. “Ok, how does an Apple packaging look like?” – group answers.
2. “Ok now what does that packaging say about the product inside? what kind of product can we expect?” – group answers….
3. ” So… who is going to buy that product?” group answers
4. ” All right… So… what kind of brand is it? what’s their philosophy, their view on life?” – groups answers.
5. So there you are: we started with a few words on the packaging and arrived to the brand’s deep values, its core. Of course there are other means of communication that helped build that logical chain but the brand is consistent from A to Z and that’s what makes it a great brand.
This is what we are going to do tonight for that other brand (X,Y,Z). We need to dig in our rational thinking and also in our emotions, OK? OK? Cool, let’s start.
And just before starting I add: “oh by the way, do you know what Apple’s boss studied?” Silence. “Calligraphy…!” Round eyes in the group… and most of the time it will be a good group.
Stay hungry, stay foolish…!
Filed under: Great quotes, Qualitative research and more..., Who we are and what we do
