BE LIMITLESS. HONOR CHALLENGES.
Steve Jobs: Did His Employees Love Him or Fear Him?
Is Fear the Best Form of Leadership?
There are usually two kinds of bosses you deal with: the obnoxious boss or the boss that likes to sugarcoat everything and is never assertive in the way they give you feedback.
The reality is that sweet sugarcoating bosses don’t get things done. They worry more about being liked than getting the job done.
Great leaders and bosses are not reminded because of how empathetic and understanding they are.
They are reminded of the things they got done.
Steve Jobs is reminded because of the quantum leaps in personal computing and the iPod and the iPhone. He created one of the most valuable brands on the planet.
Ronald Wayne, on the other hand, is the third Apple co-founder, and he is remembered only for being the nice guy who sold his 10% stake at Apple for $800 (now, it would be worth over $200 billion).
Ronald is a nice guy. But no one writes a Wikipedia page about you just because you were nice.
People who have long Wikipedia pages, just like Steve Jobs — get things done. And somehow, they were feared and respected.
Radical Candor — the right combination of being obnoxious and empathetic
In her book “Radical Candor”, Kim Scott explains how being radically candid can greatly help you be an effective leader.
Imagine you are working on a project (like the Mac computer) for Steve Jobs.
One day, he comes to your desk (yes, he would randomly visit your desk) and tells you,
“Your work is shit!”
You almost piss your pants. It’s Steve Jobs telling you that your work is shit. But maybe he is somehow right, and this is all you need to hear to improve the work.
Job’s “Your work is shit!” would be paired with “I’ve seen way better work from you.” So you know that he is not questioning your capabilities. He still has confidence in you but leaves no room for interpretation regarding the work.
This is the right combination of being obnoxious and empathetic at the same time. You let the person know that they can be counted on, and you expect more from them.
As Steve Jobs once said: “For criticism to be effective, it’s crucial to do it very clearly and to articulate why… and to get them back on track.”
Love or fear?
More than love and fear, Steve Jobs was admired. I would say that almost everyone who worked with him learned tremendously and admired him.
However, things probably started with fear. Imagine Steve Jobs passing by your desk and saying in a very assertive, calm, and dominant voice,
“I hired you because I believe in you, so do your fucking job!”
It’s not about love or fear. It’s about effectiveness. It’s about doing the right thing and getting your team in the right direction.
This is why Steve Jobs was so effective in sharing his vision: he visualized an amazing product, hired the right people to build that product, believed in them, and gave them radically candid feedback.
I know it’s not easy
I founded a consulting business 13 years ago, and my biggest mistake was that I was Mr. Nice Boss — I was too flexible; I used to give too many second chances and was not 100% candid.
Looking back, the reality is that half of my employees were just coasting. They knew I was nice and that I would never be too rough telling them they were underperforming.
The result? My consulting business didn’t grow as it should have grown.
Being 100% candid and assertive, while also telling people that they can do a great job, is the best way to be respected as a leader, and build great things.
Be 100% radically fucking candid while simultaneously telling people you trust them and believe in them.
Conclusion
I know it sounds paradoxical, but let me give you another example:
If you have a dog, he will love you and admire you MORE if you show him affection while also being firm when necessary.
Our human primitive brain is very similar.
Jobs, with his cutthroat feedback and crystal-clear vision, redefined what it means to lead effectively by blurring the line between fear and respect.
The path to success might not be comfortable for everyone, but it’s clear that just being nice is overshadowed by the monumental footprints of the feared, the respected, and the radically candid.
This article was inspired by the book Radical Candor by Kim Scott. I highly recommend it:
— Henrique Centieiro 🕺🏻
| Be Limitless. Honor Challenges.|
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