LEADING WITH IDEAS: A TRIBUTE TO STEVE JOBS
“It is not the Age of your experience, but the age of your ideas that is important”, those were the powerful closing statements of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola at the March 2nd Gubernatorial debate that explained his philosophy of leadership and further explained his approach to Governance that without sentiments has moved Lagos State on the progressive drive.
This write up is not dedicated to Governor Fashola, but rather an American who had distinguished himself in his generation and was dedicated and committed to the cause of utilizing the power of ideas to bring tremendous market transformation and Leadership that positioned him as an American Icons before his death.
Mr Steve Jobs the Founder and Former CEO of the Apple Inc of the United States of America passed on after battling his pancreatic cancer ailment for 8 years, a man who refused to allow his circumstance and condition to define him, but rather chose to use his potentials and skills, to add value to society.
His Drive for innovation corroborates the superb book of Rev Sam Adeyemi Senior Pastor of the Daystar Christian Church 'Ideas Rule the World', indeed for the past decade Late Steve Jobs and his Apple Corporation gave companies like Microsoft a run for their money as he shaped, and redefined the markets even influencing consumer behavior, with his mind blowing ideas.
Prior to the 21st Century, Microsoft Corporation had dominated the markets with its big monitor screen computers which was a burden to carry from one location to another, but with the advent of the Apple Corporation the value and dimension shifted to handheld devices.
If they told me that a Computer and Laptop can be further designed in a simple tablet form that will not be noticed I will say 'you must be dreaming', but Late Steve Jobs and his team brought the Ipad innovation , which for me is the greatest innovation of the Apple Corporation that positioned it as the Leading brand for the year 2010.
The Ipad is a device that has brought media convergence, synchronized research and development possibilities, compressed a laptop function and device into a simpler process and also improved business and networking possibilities across the Globe.
Before the Ipad we had the Ipod for music and videos, Itunes software system in Computers and Laptops for music, I-mac Laptops and the Apple Iphones which became the new versions of smartphones that have been competing in the market with the likes of RIM's Blackberry and the Samsung Galaxy.
It is intriguing and amazing to note that his first job was a Video Game designer and to think of that video game I was really dazed at his sagacity, because I remember how engaging it was playing the video games, when I was in Primary School.
So from a Video Game designer, a drop out from college, having to through the setback of being fired from his job and also the ordeal of a Pancreatic cancer diagnosis, he encouraged himself and pulled through the limitations to become one of the greatest market leaders in the globe, through Innovation.
Proffessor Michael Porter distinguished scholar from Harvard University has this quote “Innovation is the Central theme in Prosperity”, which means the value for Innovation will lead to transformation and development for any Organization or Nation. For Steve Jobs he infused into this Generation the passion for an Idea-Driven leadership.
One would have expected that having been diagnosed of Cancer, Steve Jobs would have retired and given up hope of adding value to his world, but that rather it fuelled in him a renewed zeal and passion to redefine technology and the global markets, by leading market breakthrough Innovation.
When I watched him do the presentation on the I-cloud storage device for data information, i concluded that he was a Leader with Ideas, because he demonstrated that belief in the power of ideas and how it can impact the Globe.
Steve Jobs departure at 56 years is a painful loss to the Globe, and i believe there is a lot that our Leaders can learn from this great man. If you look at the development and transformation of the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan it was through the efforts of leaders who where Idea-Driven to impact their World.
Unfortunately, it seems like the U.S, U.K, Germany and Japan are slowly and gradually drifting from the Idea-Driven culture to becoming just a Consuming society. As for Nigeria and the Third World countries it is time create real value for Innovation and Idea-driven Leadership structure.
This famous Quote from Late Steve Jobs summarizes the Concept of Leading with Ideas 'Innovation distinguishes between a Leader and a Follower', which clearly buttresses the point that for difficult and challenging times like what we are experiencing in the Global economy, we need leaders with Bold and definite Ideas.
Ottoabasi Abasiekong is a Public Affairs Analyst
Email: [email protected]