Over the winter I read the authorized biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, written by Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster 2011). And I have been puzzling for two months now over this question: How to reconcile the nasty, very often heartless, and narcissistic traits of Steve Jobs with his great accomplishments. What explains, or justifies, success at the expense of others, and how do we integrate this into a spiritual understanding of how to succeed as whole individuals, spiritually and morally developed?
Walter Isaacson, hand picked by Jobs to be his official biographer, pulls no punches. He repeatedly describes Jobs as cruel, indifferent, even to his own children, intolerant, judgmental, profane, verbally abusive to others, controlling, prone to humiliate others, often publicly castigating one day, then claiming credit for the same idea himself within a week. He was emotionally labile, often resorting to crying to get his way. He had the hallmarks of a narcissist, he thought he was “special” and was grandiose in his self-view. He used people up. In short, after 600 pages of biography I came away with a disturbing personality profile of Steve Jobs.
Isaacson also describes Jobs as “the greatest business executive of our era.” No doubt Jobs was a transformative force in design, technology development, both hardware and software, music technology, film animation, and retail marketing. Indeed, I am a fan of all things Apple. I am typing this blog on my iMac.
So here’s the question, again: does the ability to create and transform on the scale that Jobs did necessarily require an abrasive leader personality? And if it does, do these means, including abuse and humiliation and denial of others, justify the outcome? An outcome we all benefit from?
This is really an issue of leadership. Good leaders bring out the best in others by doing three things: providing clear vision, defining boundaries, and by creating an environment that fosters best effort. I would suggest that Jobs’ accomplishments were great in spite of his leadership style, and not because of it, and came at unnecessarily great expense, to himself and to others. Jobs was successful, perhaps immeasurably. But he was not a nurturer of talent in the sense of the great leader who inspires and supports the development and growth of those he leads. He was not a nurturing type apparently, and that limited his leadership potential.
His was a unique style, but not an integrated model of how to succeed. His means did not justify the ends, they just were his means. He was human, and still unfolding in his own path and development.
We each live our own life lessons. Isaacson did not address Jobs’ personal growth and self-development very much. But it is helpful to keep in mind that notwithstanding his notoriety, Steve Jobs had his own journey, too. He led the life that was his to live, the one he chose, and we can’t say or know what his experience was or what his learning curve was–or is. I imagine, however, he has some insights from his experience; wouldn’t it be interesting if he can invent a way to communicate them from beyond! In his eulogy, his sister, the writer Mona Simpson, described his death. “He’d looked at his sister… then for a long time at his children, then at his life’s partner, Laurene, and then over their shoulders past them. Steve’s final words were:
‘OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.'”
I wonder what he saw. And I wonder what he learned in the process.
Rachel says
Great post, Susan. Was wondering where you were going to take it when I got to paragraph four and formulated my response to your question: No. And no. And no matter what. I think many of us find it difficult to separate talented people and their accomplishments from their behavior. I also believe we need be accountable for both. Accomplishments, no matter how life-changing, are just that; bad behavior is bad behavior, no matter what the context. We can understand and have compassion for people’s actions, and even justify them intellectually, but we should never fail to name bad behavior because of excellence in other arenas. We are all flawed, multidimensional beings, and better we should be seen in our imperfect fullness rather than held up on a faulty pedestal.
susan says
Exactly right, Rachel.
Stefanos says
Hi Susan. Very nice thoughts. Right on. If i could expand a bit….Who is Steve Jobs. The creator of apple computers. Great. I do enjoy my apple as well.
I also enjoy my car and my espresso machine much more than my apple computer. Still I don’t worship Henry Ford or whoever genius discovered the Espresso machine that I love so much. So why should i care who Steve Jobs because he blowed his own horn in every chance ha had. I will worship my favored writer (Nikos Kazantzakis) or my favored poet (Ritsos) because they poured their soles out and shred ideals that made me think and may be made me a little, just a little better man. But Steve Jobs ….yes I like the computers he made but he has no place or weight in any other subject, emotion or thought in my life. I hope he rests in peace like all dead people, but I think we all give him a bit too much credit.
Eugenie says
Susan, excellent commentary on the same questions I was left with after reading Isaccson’s brutal account of Steve Jobs. I read with fascination not only because I lived through all those years and transformations but also because I could not believe how badly behaved he was. I agree with Rachel there is no excuse for bad behavior or for treating others badly.
Darwin says
Susan:
You write such a thoughtful piece about Jobs. I think you were a lot more insightful than the author, who described Jobs as “the greatest business executive of our time”. Maybe he was the greatest businessman (because of his inventions and vision), but not the greatest executive! To be a great business executive, there has to be some leadership, along the lines you described.
As for his seeing beyond the here and now as he was moving to the other side, and uttering, “OH WOW”, that’s very powerful. Since I’ve met and talked with many people who have had “Near Death Experiences”, I have the image of a man who was experiencing, maybe for the first time, unconditional Love. And, perhaps through that, an awakening to that within himself that must have lain dormant all those years.
I look forward to your next post on leadership and/or another book review.
susan says
Darwin, I am struck by your suggestion that it was an experience of unconditional love that moved Jobs to exclaim “OH WOW OH WOW OH WOW ” as his last words. I imagine that is close to what we experience as we see into the expanded truth of Source and Self, whether upon passing from the body or, in some cases, sooner.