Return to the Little Kingdom_ Steve Jobs and the Creation of Apple - Michael Moritz [135]
Despite these efforts Apple’s identity must have seemed clearer to customers than to employees. By 1980 the company was too large and too scattered for any one manager to cover in a daily stroll to take the air and test the waters. So for most employees the corporate hand was invisible. To combat the uncertainty and provide a corporate manifesto and a coherent ideology, Apple established a committee which, with steadfast earnestness, set about trying to make some sense out of diffuse motives. It tried to reduce the abstract to the concrete and to codify all the conflicting impulses and intentions, the clashes between individual enterprise and teamwork, between autocracy and democracy, that make up a company. It was little wonder that the result, though full of good intentions, sounded banal, self-conscious, and hackneyed.
The general message of the committee was reflected in companywide memos that included lines like “Apple is more than just a company . . . it is an attitude, a process, a point of view and a way of doing things.” But the committee’s will and testament was embodied in a statement of corporate values that was heavily influenced by precepts Hewlett-Packard had distributed as a guide to its own employees. Apple’s group fastened on nine commandments and made the general observation: “Apple values are the qualities, customers, standards and principles that the company as a whole regards as desirable. They are the basis for what we do and how we do it. Taken together, they identify Apple as a unique company.”
As for particulars, the committee fastened on:
Empathy for customers/users (We offer superior products that fill real needs and provide lasting value. We deal fairly with competitors, and meet customers and vendors more than halfway . . . )
Achievement/Aggressiveness (We set aggressive goals and drive ourselves hard to achieve them. We recognize that this is a unique time, when our products will change the way people work and live. It’s an adventure, and we’re on it together.)
Positive Social Contribution (As a corporate citizen, we wish to be an economic, intellectual and social asset in communities where we operate . . . .)
Innovation/Vision (We accept the risks inherent in following our vision, and work to develop leadership products which command the profit margins we strive for . . . .)
Individual Performance (We expect individual commitment and performance above the standard for our industry. . . . Each employee can and must make a difference; for in the final analysis, individuals determine the character and strength of Apple.)
Team Spirit (Teamwork is essential to Apple’s success for the job is too big to be done by any one person . . . . It takes all of us to win. We support each other, and share the victories and rewards together . . . .)
Quality/Excellence (We build into Apple products a level of quality, performance, and value that will earn the respect and loyalty of our customers.)
Individual Reward (We recognize each person’s contribution to Apple’s success, and we share the financial rewards that flow from high performance. We recognize also that rewards must be psychological as well as financial and strive for an atmosphere where each individual can share the adventure and excitement of working at Apple.)
Good Management (The attitudes of managers toward their people are of primary importance. Employees should be able to trust the motives and integrity of their supervisors. It is the responsibility of management to create a productive environment where Apple values flourish.)
Apart from issuing statements dripping with goodwill, the committee also nudged the company toward specific actions. Apple started holding weekly lunches where employees could meet senior managers and vice-presidents. And Markkula made a determined