#349 How Steve Jobs Kept Things Simple

1895 snips

May 20, 2024

Discover the genius of simplicity that drove Apple to success, as inspired by Ken Segall's insights. The discussion highlights the power of clear communication in leadership and the need to eliminate bureaucratic layers. Explore how Steve Jobs and Walt Disney fostered creativity with small teams and iterative processes. The importance of concise messaging for marketing is emphasized through examples from Apple and Dyson, showcasing how simplicity enhances consumer understanding. Lastly, learn about networking opportunities for entrepreneurs at an upcoming conference.

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ADVICE

Blunt Communication

Use blunt and direct communication.
It clarifies expectations and simplifies understanding.

ANECDOTE

Direct Feedback

In his first meeting with Ken Segall, Steve Jobs bluntly critiqued Ken's work, praising his TV ads but calling his print work "shit".
This directness immediately clarified Jobs' standards and expectations.

ADVICE

Clear Communication & Standards

Communicate directly and clearly, like Steve Jobs, to set clear expectations.
People understand and respect directness, even if it creates conflict.

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Against the Odds

An Autobiography by James Dyson

James Dyson

In 'Against the Odds: An Autobiography', James Dyson shares his journey from being a misfit to becoming a successful inventor and entrepreneur. The book chronicles his years of personal struggle and crisis as he developed the revolutionary bagless vacuum cleaner. Dyson recounts his trials with major manufacturing companies, legal battles, and his eventual success after partnering with a Japanese company. The autobiography emphasizes the importance of self-belief, innovation, and perseverance in achieving extraordinary success. It also provides insights into Dyson's unconventional approach to design, development, and marketing, and how his unique perspective as a misfit contributed to his innovative achievements.

Creative Selection

Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs

Ken Kocienda

In 'Creative Selection,' Ken Kocienda offers a detailed look at Apple's software development process during his 15-year tenure at the company. The book focuses on the 'creative selection' process, a method of iterative development through continuous demos and feedback. Kocienda shares stories of his work on key products like the iPhone, iPad, and Safari web browser, and discusses the essential elements of innovation at Apple, including inspiration, collaboration, craft, diligence, decisiveness, taste, and empathy. The book provides insights into the working culture and decision-making processes under Steve Jobs' leadership.

Sam Walton

Made in America

John Huey

Sam Walton

In 'Sam Walton: Made in America,' Sam Walton shares his personal and professional journey, from his early life in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, to the founding and expansion of Walmart. The book is a first-person account supplemented by quotes from friends, family, and colleagues. It highlights Walton's core values, such as the importance of hard work, customer satisfaction, and competitive pricing. The autobiography also provides insights into Walton's leadership style, his approach to business, and the lessons he learned throughout his career. The book was published posthumously in 1993 and offers a compelling and inspiring look at the life of one of America's most successful entrepreneurs.

Return to the little kingdom

Steve Jobs, the Creation of Apple and How it Changed the World

Sir Michael Moritz

This book is an updated version of Michael Moritz's 1984 classic, 'The Little Kingdom: The Private Story of Apple Computer.' It tells the story of Apple's first decade alongside the histories of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The book brings readers inside the childhood homes of Jobs and Wozniak, records how they dropped out of college and founded Apple in 1976, and follows the fortunes of the company through the mid-1980s. The new material tracks the development of Apple to the present and offers an insider’s profile of Jobs, whose genius made Apple the powerhouse it is today. The book provides detailed insights into the early days of Apple, including the personal histories of its founders and key players like Mike Scott, Mike Markkula, and Rod Holt[2][4][5].

Disney's Land

Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World

Richard Snow

This book chronicles the period from the conception of Disneyland in the 1940s to its significant additions in 1959. It delves into Walt Disney's innovative vision, the creative efforts of his team, and the financial and logistical challenges they overcame. The narrative includes biographical sketches of key figures involved in the park's design and construction, such as Roy Disney, Ward Kimball, and C.V. Wood. The book also details the park's opening day and its subsequent success despite initial setbacks, showcasing the unique blend of imagination, engineering, and perseverance that defined Disneyland's creation.

Steve Jobs

Walter Isaacson

This biography, based on more than 40 interviews with Steve Jobs and over 100 interviews with family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues, provides a riveting story of Jobs' roller-coaster life and intense personality. It highlights his passion for perfection, his ferocious drive, and how he revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. The book explores Jobs' contradictions, his 'reality distortion field,' and the lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values that can be drawn from his life and career.

Insanely simple

The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success

Ken Segall

In 'Insanely Simple,' Ken Segall delves into the culture and strategies that made Apple a leader in innovation. The book highlights Steve Jobs' relentless pursuit of simplicity, which was a key factor in Apple's success. Segall shares personal anecdotes and stories from his time working with Jobs, contrasting Apple's approach with that of other companies like Dell and Intel. He emphasizes the importance of small groups of smart people, minimal bureaucracy, and the power of simplicity in achieving clarity and efficiency. The book provides valuable insights into how simplicity can be a driving force for success in any organization.

What I learned from reading Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success by Ken Segall.

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(1:30) Steve wanted Apple to make a product that was simply amazing and amazingly simple.

(3:00) If you don’t zero in on your bureaucracy every so often, you will naturally build in layers. You never set out to add bureaucracy. You just get it. Period. Without even knowing it. So you always have to be looking to eliminate it. — Sam Walton: Made In America by Sam Walton. (Founders #234)

(5:00) Steve was always easy to understand. He would either approve a demo, or he would request to see something different next time. Whenever Steve reviewed a demo, he would say, often with highly detailed specificity, what he wanted to happen next. — Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs by Ken Kocienda. (Founders #281)

(7:00) Watch this video. Andy Miller tells GREAT Steve Jobs stories.

(10:00) Many are familiar with the re-emergence of Apple. They may not be as familiar with the fact that it has few, if any parallels.
When did a founder ever return to the company from which he had been rudely rejected to engineer a turnaround as complete and spectacular as Apple's? While turnarounds are difficult in any circumstances they are doubly difficult in a technology company. It is not too much of a stretch to say that Steve founded Apple not once but twice. And the second time he was alone.

— Return to the Little Kingdom: Steve Jobs and the Creation of Appleby Michael Moritz.

(15:00) If the ultimate decision maker is involved every step of the way the quality of the work increases.

(20:00) "You asked the question, What was your process like?' I kind of laugh because process is an organized way of doing things. I have to remind you, during the 'Walt Period' of designing Disneyland, we didn't have processes. We just did the work. Processes came later. All of these things had never been done before. Walt had gathered up all these people who had never designed a theme park, a Disneyland. So we're in the same boat at one time, and we figure out what to do and how to do it on the fly as we go along with it and not even discuss plans, timing, or anything. We just worked and Walt just walked around and had suggestions." — Disney's Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World by Richard Snow. (Founders #347)

(23:00) The further you get away from 1 the more complexity you invite in.

(25:00) Your goal: A single idea expressed clearly.

(26:00) Jony Ive: Steve was the most focused person I’ve met in my life

(28:00) Editing your thinking is an act of service.

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