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The Totem Effect
Steve Jobs quits as CEO of Apple.
Did you see this coming? Come on, surely this was perhaps the best piece of stage management that Apple has given us in the past 5 years.
After the first round of 'Health Absence' the writing was on the wall that Steve Jobs would one day be forced to step down through sheer ill-health. The cancers he has fought bravely will no doubt take him in the end, but the defiance he has shown is no doubt credit to the tenacious manner which has made him such a success in business.
But what was more important in the Board's mind and no doubt Steve's mind as well was 'Stock Holder Confidence' and the past 2 years have been all about ensuring that the market felt that Apple was in good hands whether Steve Jobs was around or not. And a good job has been done. The markets dipped Apple's stock by 6% which is probably about half of the expectation at this announcement and the Post Script on the resignation note about staying 'as a director' was merely a safety line just incase.
The problem for Apple is not the Business Management Void from the departure of Steve Jobs but the 'Totem Effect' which was his Aura. Kyle summed it up best on last week's Mac Show "No one buys an iPad from Apple, they buy it from Steve Jobs because he's the one stood on the stage telling us to buy it", and never a truer word was spoken.
Imagine Tim Cook standing up at the planning meeting for the new Apple campus...After a brief check of their notes the councillors present may have know his name, but not by reputation. But Tim has time for that if he sticks around. However Apple do need someone to stand up at the launches and hold peoples attention. Does Tim have the personality? Or Schiller? Or Ive? Or the other guy who does the phones thing and whose name I don't remember? Anyway...
The lasting question and after-effect of today's announcement around Steve Jobs is 'Who do I want to buy my Apple products from?' Steve or Apple. Well, thanks to Steve that answer will SOON be 'Apple'
The saddest part is that they felt the need for Steve to be a 'Director'. I think its time that he had the opportunity to have peace and join us all in the cheap seats with what health he has left. Well Done Mate.
Ewen
Author
Ewen Rankin