Based on more than 40 interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years — as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues — Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. The article that has been assigned (in the HBP coursepack) is a summary of the book titled “The Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs.�
Jobs was a complex individual, and many have disagreed with his style of both leadership and management. As is with many technology leaders in our history, a closer look at the person, over time, reveals much more than just a narrative of the products for which they have led the creation. However, our interest in the adaptation of Jobs to this course is to look purely at the review that Isaacson did, on Jobs’ business leadership in particular.
After you read the assigned article, your writeup should focus on the following:
1. Identify someone in the sports and athletics industry today, and make a distinct and direct connection between that person and what you found in the Isaacson article with his 14 “lessons� from Jobs.
2. Male or female, pro, college or in the “business� of sports (think team, apparel, technology, media, government, others), has your subject applied any of the “lessons� or attributes that Isaacson has identified in his/her career in sports (again, widen the field of sports if needed)? We prefer that this NOT be a current athlete or someone who is playing the sport today. Please look at someone in management, coaching or some other non-participant role. You should keep in mind there have been individuals who NEVER worked for teams or leagues who have had significant impact.
3. What are those specific “links” or connections? Which attribute are you applying and why? Are there specific instances and periods on your subject’s past that you see as a correlation to actions that Jobs took in his career, with his products, with his companies?
Please note: just because a person in sports had natural athletic talent, which then led to a management role, this would not necessarily be a good choice. We are looking for the attributes which, proven over time, have had positive results.Try to look beyond obvious sport/athlete/management connections.
4. Has this person been written about in ways that reflect Jobs? Finding third-party sources (i.e. articles/analysis) that can help support your selection are important to develop your thesis.
Note: This is not a biography or a profile of your selection. Only important details relevant to your subject’s past should be included. Focus your writing to address the assignment details.
Your writeup should be 4-5 pages and identify at least two of the 14 “lessons� discussed in the article. You should be specific in referencing the connections that you see. For example, identifying your subject’s history, in finding instances of where you believe the individual shares that connection to a Jobs-like “attribute.� What was/is it? When did it occur? Is it ongoing or just a once or twice happenstance? What was the result? Much like a product that Apple produced, the connection to this particular attribute should be found in the outcome.
Requirements: 5 p | .doc file