The Legacy of Steve Jobs Co-Founder of Apple
The world now knows that a man by the name of Steve Jobs has passed away. In the following days and weeks we will be reading and hearing citation after citation of the great works Steve did during his lifetime. Having never met the man, I can only write from what I do know of him.
Steve Jobs was a true game changer, an iconoclast, maverick, trend setter, brilliant strategist and extremely talented person. His company Apple changed the world. If Steve Jobs had not been born the world of computing, music, entertainment and communications would be far different place than what it is today. His legacy will be felt for many years and decades to come.
Steve Jobs turned Apple into a true lifestyle brand with a world wide loyal following. Apple’s marketing took a page out of Harley-Davidsons marketing playbook when they began selling a lifestyle rather than a computer. They like Harley developed a cult following of die hard fans. Even if you don’t own an Apple product you darn well know who they are. This is an envious position to be in that very few companies ever achieve.
Yet with all this to his name Steve Jobs will also be known for another thing, the way he treated people. His legacy will be known as either a positive one or a negative one. He will be known as one who encouraged, supported and uplifted those around him or one who belittled, downplayed or used people. Only those who knew him can tell you which they remember him for.
Legacies highlight more than our public work, they highlight our private lives too. It reveals the true character of the person we thought we knew. Character is found in the everyday interactions of how we treat people. Do our lives add to or take away from the lives of those around us. Many mistakenly believe our legacy is the positive press we put out about our self, not the negative pres we make for our self by how we treat those closest to us. Our business accomplishments will fade away much faster than our private interactions with the people we spent time with.
You see our legacy cuts both ways, we leave a public legacy and a private legacy. It’s been said, death is the great equalizer. When we die its then we will be most remembered. The question then is this. What type of legacy do you want to leave behind? Steve Jobs was the heart and soul of Apple and he will be sorely missed by many.
Will you be missed when you pass from this world?
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