Apple Timeline

I show the whole life of Steve Jobs and the history of Apple to the present, relative to its share price, in this timeline (click to enlarge).

Jobs, in terms of the Myers-Briggs type indicator, was a strongly ideas-oriented person: introvert (internally motivated, rather than energised by others), Intuitive (driven by ideas rather than facts); Thinking (impersonal rather than personal decisions) and Judging (decisive).

Most managers are fact-bound. Per Keirsey & Bates (Please Understand Me), an ideas-oriented person of Jobs’ type can make a very effective team when combined with a facts-bound leader. However, the relationship must place the ideas person in the saddle. Otherwise the ideas become just another set of facts – unproven facts!

Placing a down-to-earth manager over Jobs (Mike Scott, 1977 to 1981; John Scully, 1983 to 1986) placed the relationship the wrong way round. Jobs’ ideas were downgraded.

The relationship between Jobs and Tim Cook (1998 to 2011) was perfect. Jobs’ ideas prevailed and Cook was able to implement them.

Since Jobs’ death, Apple shares have dipped, but the share price has now (Spring 2013) begun a recovery. The only question that remains is whether Apple will continue to be an innovative company or revert to the Scully plan of producing proven products.