During various interviews, Steve Jobs was asked how he spotted visionary leaders like Wozniak, Jony Ive, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, and others who made Apple the company it is today.
He emphasised that building a pattern-breaking revolutionary company requires more than just assembling individuals with degrees, experience, or traditional skills. It demands assembling a team of visionaries driven by a fundamental trait: pure, unbridled obsession.
While interviewing thousands of people, he asked one powerful question: “What are you so passionate about that you’d do it for free?”
This question is a carefully crafted filter to identify a rare trait that predicts future greatness. The question uncovers the candidate’s intrinsic motivation and allows spotting individuals consumed by their passions. These people are driven not by financial gain or recognition but by their irresistible urge to pursue what they love.
Steve Jobs substantiated his question by giving examples of product designers who view their work as art, obsessing over the minutest details, or logistics experts who approach supply chains as canvases for innovation. Their spheres of interest might appear mundane to others, but their obsession leads them to redesign and refine everything they touch, consistently achieving perfection.
Obsession fosters three critical traits:
1. Attention to Crucial Details
2. Motivation Beyond Monetary Incentives
3. Relentless Perseverance
It shows that for Steve Jobs, building a team of visionary leaders is more than hiring for present needs — it’s about securing a passion-driven future and laying the groundwork for transformative success.
These traits are non-negotiable in cultivating visionary leaders. This philosophy — requiring not just skill but a deep commitment to creating transformative products — shapes a culture of innovation. This approach attracts other like-minded, passionate individuals, resulting in a self-sustaining cycle of innovation and improvement.
Steve Jobs’s mindset is an excellent reminder for leaders to focus on building exceptional products, dedicatedly constructing scalable operations, and refining systems that enable growth while preserving quality.
So, if you are striving to be a distinctive leader, your success lies in the drive to continuously improve and revolutionise everything. It is this obsession with improvement that not only propels growth but also makes legends.
Get that team!
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Do you want to discuss your thoughts, ideas and hindrances that may be stopping you from taking the bold step? Contact us today to schedule 30-minute call with Ishwar Jha, Founder and CEO of Appetals.
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