How Steve Jobs Brainstorms

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

At 31, Steve Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT. At his startup, as well as at Apple, Jobs conducted brainstorming sessions. He did it in a very special way, with his inherent idealism, passion and deep conviction that he was right. In this post, we'll share what lessons can be learned from these collections and what to learn from the marketing genius.

Steve Jobs' management style has been reviewed hundreds of times, both positively and negatively. Love him or hate him, you cannot deny his achievements: in a short time, he built the most successful company on the planet.

However, before that, in 1985, Jobs still had to leave Apple. A few months later, he founded another company. Called NeXT, the startup has focused on making powerful computers for higher education.

A team of talented people left Apple to join Jobs in his new company - further proof that people believed him.

In the video below, you will see excerpts from brainstorming sessions that Jobs conducted during the first three months of the company's existence.

Every entrepreneur can take on several of Jobs's behaviors and learn how to conduct meetings more effectively in their company.

At least eight points in this video are noteworthy. Below we will tell you more about them with timing.

Show your passion (4:58)

Jobs had a special talent as a presenter, and his skills are fully revealed in his opening speech.

As you can see, he is full of enthusiasm, his speech is natural. And more importantly, he really believes what he says.

If an idea doesn't inspire you in the first place, it won't inspire anyone at all.

Concentrate on creating value (5:40)

We are engaged in this project because it really captures us … Because we really care about higher education. Not because we just want to make money.

Steve Jobs

What could be cooler for an entrepreneur than knowing that your product or service improves someone's life and that people understand this?

Put your team to the test (6:15)

Throughout the video, Jobs tests his people, he asks them uncomfortable questions and draws accurate conclusions from what they said.

He doesn't take anything for granted and wants to know why people do this. And often he tells them bluntly when he disagrees.

Yes, Jobs can be bossy. But Guy Kawaski, who worked with Jobs twice, noted:

If you ask Apple employees why they put up with all the complexities of working for this company, they will answer you: "Because Apple allows you to do the best job in your entire career."

Guy Kawaski

Stay on course (6:53)

You need a person who will remind you that you are on the right track and moving towards your goal. Very often, when you have to walk thousands of miles, and you are only taking the first step, it seems that this is an unrealistically long way, and it helps a lot if someone says: “So, we are already one step closer … The goal, of course, exists … This is not a mirage somewhere in the distance."

Steve Jobs

As your company grows, it is easy to lose awareness of what really matters. However, you shouldn't compromise on the things you believe in.

It was because of this that Jobs was kicked out of Apple in 1985, but because of this, he was taken back, and Apple itself became so successful.

Prioritize Correctly (7:26)

As the NeXT team discusses their priorities, you may notice Steve Jobs's unique ability to focus on the most important things and, more importantly, to defend his opinion about why it is of the utmost importance.

When the team members challenged the number one priority (keeping the cost of the computer at $ 3,000), Jobs fiercely defended it:

If the computer is three times faster, they won't pay $ 4,000. Either it will cost $ 3,000 or they won't buy it. It's a magical amount … They think it's a lot. Whether it is true or not, we have set such a price and we can rest assured.

Steve Jobs

And the team agreed with their leader - the price remained the number one priority.

You know what really matters, but can you prove why it matters? If you can, your team will follow you.

Feel when to interrupt (11:20)

In the video, one of the team members starts a long speech, her argument goes on and on, and Jobs looks calm … at first. But as she continues, his patience runs out. And he interrupts her, not letting her finish.

It often happens that one of the meeting participants speaks too long, but everyone is too polite to interrupt. This episode makes you think about how important it is sometimes to interrupt the endless infusion.

It's important to be a good listener. Be patient. But know how to stop the person talking at the right time - this way you will save your time and resources.

Learn from the past, but don't let yourself get caught up in it (12:05)

When a member of the team mentioned past mistakes, Jobs said:

I don’t want to hear: “Just because we didn’t succeed the last time, it won’t work today…” This is the chance we got today. This is a great chance.

Steve Jobs

All great entrepreneurs know that mistakes are part of the process. The more you try, the more you make mistakes and lose, but success is always around the corner. You just need to find it.

Focus on the positive (13:00)

I found myself making a list of things we don't know, but then I remembered that our company was only 90 days old. And I look at everything we've been doing all this time, and it's incredible how far we've come in 90 days.

Steve Jobs

When you have a long road ahead of you, it's helpful to focus on what you've already done. Remember what you have already learned and what you have achieved. This will give you the strength and motivation to move forward.