Don’t Worry about Apple, Cringely says:
For a time Apple will be run with everyone asking, “What would Steve say?” And because he’s been such a huge factor in the lives of his direct reports for so long, they’ll have that voice of Steve in their heads and will do the right thing automatically. And eventually, if Steve for some reason doesn’t return to Apple, new Steves will emerge.
I found this Evolution of Steve interesting:
The last time Steve Jobs left Apple, back in 1985, the entire company breathed a sigh of relief. Steve back then was an undisciplined brat. John Sculley was able to dramatically improve Apple’s balance sheet through one simple technique — eliminating all the wacky projects Steve was spending $200 million per year running at Apple — projects that were generally never going to hit the market anyway. Alas, that’s where Sculley ran out of gas as a leader because he lacked technical vision where that’s all Steve had in those days.It took learning to run NeXT on a budget and almost losing the company to teach Steve how to be a leader. It took learning to leave Pixar alone to teach Steve that there were some things — many things — best left to others more talented than he. Those two experiences, added to his fall from grace in 1985, made Steve Jobs the leader he is today. Still all elbows and shoulder blades, he somehow makes it work.
I feel for the guy. It’s not his health scare, but his lack of true friends that worries me. When your best friend is Larry Ellison you know you are in trouble. But that may be the best that either man can do.