Learn from the best, learn from the worst
Today I bring you two stories (both via Daring Fireball). The first is about one of the best performing CEOs of our time, the second is an astonishing story from one of the world’s largest airlines and their spectacular fuck-up.
The Best
Fortune Magazine has named Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple as their CEO of The Decade. If you know me you’ll know I think this is an obvious choice. Over the last decade he’s made fantastic products, made Apple into one of the most profitable tech companies in the world, and set the agenda for the rest of the industry to follow. In honour of Jobs, Fortune have collected stories from eight famous business executives who have worked with Steve, and it’s an interesting insight into his role in the company. The overall theme seems to be his pursuit of perfection. This is well summarised by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison:
I remember when Steve was my neighbor in Woodside, Calif., and he had no furniture. It struck me that there wasn’t furniture good enough for Steve in the world. He’d rather have nothing if he couldn’t have perfection.
And I jokingly said, “The difference between me and Steve is that I’m willing to live with the best the world can provide. With Steve that’s not always good enough.”
Read the full story: 8 stars speak out on Steve Jobs
The Worst
This astonishing story highlights the corporate culture at American Airlines. It comes in three parts, written by user interface designer Dustin Curtis.
First, he writes an open letter to American Airlines, regarding their terrible website: Dear AmericanAirlines
Then, a user experience designer from AA.com responds: Dear Dustin Curtis
But those of us who work in enterprise-level situations realize the momentum even a simple redesign must overcome…
Then, astonishingly, American Airlines fires their user experience designer: The incompetence of American Airlines & the fate of Mr X
When AA fires the people who care most about the experience it provides, I have to wonder if there is any hope for AMR Corporation.
An intriguing look into a corporate culture that is holding a company back. I guess it all boils down to the top management. If they’re passionate, like Steve Jobs, the company can go a long way. If not, the corporate culture will follow and the company’s success will gradually erode over time.
