Steve Jobs: A Visionary Leader and Teacher

Willy Shih, a Professor of Management at the Harvard Business School, shares his experiences working with Steve Jobs, from their early days at IBM and Kodak to Apple's resurgence in the late 1990s. Shih credits Jobs with being a visionary who brought together the worlds of media, technology, art, and design, but also acknowledges that working with Jobs was not always easy. In fact, Jobs was known to begin every meeting with an insult, which Shih surprisingly enjoyed and learned from.

Shih recounts an anecdote from September 11, 2001, when he met with Jobs and Pat Russo, the CEO of Kodak, at Apple's campus. Despite the chaos and speechlessness that followed the terrorist attacks, Shih notes that Jobs showed a human side, revealing a compassionate and empathetic person behind the legendary CEO.

Shih's interactions with Jobs taught him valuable lessons about the importance of investing time and energy to get things right, staying true to one's vision, and learning from mistakes. He credits Jobs' willingness to take calculated risks and his ability to inspire others with his passion and dedication to innovative design.

Key Takeaways:

• Willy Shih worked with Steve Jobs at IBM, Kodak, and Apple, spanning a period of 20 years.
• Jobs was known for starting every meeting with an insult, which Shih found fascinating and learned from.
• Shih credits Jobs with instilling the value of investing time and energy to get things right and staying true to one's vision.
• Jobs demonstrated a human side on September 11, 2001, when Shih met with him at Apple's campus.
• Shih learned valuable lessons from Jobs about the importance of learning from mistakes and taking calculated risks.
• Shih notes that Jobs' passion and dedication to innovative design inspired others to strive for excellence.

Statistics:

• 20 years of working relationship between Willy Shih and Steve Jobs.
• September 11, 2001: the date when Shih met with Jobs and Pat Russo at Apple's campus.
• Apple's resurgence in the late 1990s under Jobs' leadership.
• IBM and Kodak: Shih's previous employers where he worked with Jobs.

Sources:

• Bloomberg TV October 6, 2011: Willy Shih on Steve Jobs.