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Steve Jobs Did Not Accept Excuses And Was Known For His Unpredictable Reactions. When His Secretary Arrived Late Because Her Car Broke Down, He Could Have Fired Her On The Spot – But Did Exactly The Opposite. On The Same Day, He Handed Over The Keys Of A Brand-New Jaguar And Said: “Here, Never Be Late Again.” An Act That Proves That, With Jobs, Anything Could Happen.
If there was one thing Steve Jobs could not stand, it was a flimsy excuse. He was the type who demanded the utmost and wanted his team to always be at the highest level. It didn’t matter if the reason for being late was a broken car or an apocalypse, the expectation was that employees would find a way.
At Apple, everything revolved around excellence. Jobs Was Not An Ordinary Boss Who Accepted “I Didn’t Have Time” Or “My Car Broke Down” As An Answer. Was The Problem Not Yours? Then Solve It. And Quickly. But, On That Occasion, He Did Something No One Expected.
The Day A Secretary Got A New Car
It was a regular day at Apple, until Steve Jobs’ secretary arrived late. The reason? Her car decided not to cooperate and simply wouldn’t start. Now, imagine her nervousness as she walked into the office and had to explain this to a boss who had already fired people for much less.
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Jobs listened to the explanation, looked at her, and without saying anything, went back to work. The secretary must have breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had escaped this time. But a few hours later, he reappears, throws a bunch of keys on the desk, and says:
“Here, never be late again.”
It was a brand-new Jaguar.
Those who were there witnessing the scene were in shock. Jobs Could Very Well Have Done What Everyone Expected And Fired The Secretary On The Spot. But Instead, He Eliminated The Problem At Its Root. Now, With A Luxury Car, There Was No More Reason For Delays.
Steve Jobs’ Motivation Method
Working for Steve Jobs was a unique – and intense – experience. The guy could either put you against the wall and make you question your own existence or give you a luxury car out of nowhere. It all depended on the moment and what he thought would make you more productive.
This episode with the Jaguar makes clear his leadership style: there were no middle grounds. He demanded total dedication and, when he felt someone was worth it, he made sure nothing interfered with that person. It was his way – a bit radical – of keeping the team always focused.
Was it motivation? Yes. But it was also a way of showing that, at Apple, everything had to run perfectly. If something got in the way, He Simply Resolved It In The Most Direct Way Possible.
Não sei se ele era tão generoso. Faço correlação com as baterias dos seus celulares, que são horrendas. O cara não podia melhorar uma simples bateria de iPhone que a gente tá pagando, como pode ser generoso? Pra mim ele deu o carro talvez para fazer alguma média. Deixou a herança apenas para mulher dele e para uma filha que não gostava dele, porque ele não deu a devida atenção na sua infância e ainda deserdou os outros três ou quatro filhos que ele tinha de outra relação. Com tanto dinheiro que ele tinha, porque deixou os outros filhos sem nada?
Inclusive, a esposa dele que ficou com a maior parte do dinheiro falou que ia e estava usando a dinheirama para projetos sociais porque diz ela que é muito dinheiro. Pelo que eu conheço da história dele, ele era meio mesquinho.
Hilário, os comentários dessa gente!
A mentalidade dos patrões do Brasil, ela teria sido delimita.