Comments for Walt Sutton's Blog http://tellthestory.com/blog Just another WordPress site Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:27:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Wrestling with Steve by Frank Greif http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-194 Frank Greif Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:27:15 +0000 http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-194 I finished the book ten days ago. People have asked "what did you think?" It's been a struggle. So many conflicting feeling. And the whipsaw between the "what a jerk" and "he's brilliant" moments. I didn't know how to respond to "what did you think." Then I read your blog, Walt. Spectacular. Yes, I too was on that mat. Sweating, grunting, pushing, yielding, struggling, and finally giving up and just deciding to be an observer. Walter Isaacson took us on an amazing journey. Once I stopped struggling it was engrossing. I'm a converted Appleite. (Thanks to you, Walt!) I'll never again look at the curved corners without a smile. He took the man out for a ride and showed him traffic signs! And the machines are beautiful. But I'm not a Jobs-ite. We don't have to damage people to create perfection, or event to get close to perfection. A perfectly designed device in the hands of a belittled human is just a tool, not an inspiration to do great things. I don't think Jobs ever understood that point. I don't think he had any rounded corners. But then there is the sweetness of the note to his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary. "...you swept me off my feet." Twenty years later "...My feet have never returned to the ground." I'm exhausted. And exhilarated. I was pinned to the mat by the one constant in Jobs' life - incredible intensity. Thanks Walt for helping us focus. Ever done that before? I finished the book ten days ago. People have asked “what did you think?” It’s been a struggle. So many conflicting feeling. And the whipsaw between the “what a jerk” and “he’s brilliant” moments. I didn’t know how to respond to “what did you think.” Then I read your blog, Walt. Spectacular.

Yes, I too was on that mat. Sweating, grunting, pushing, yielding, struggling, and finally giving up and just deciding to be an observer. Walter Isaacson took us on an amazing journey. Once I stopped struggling it was engrossing.

I’m a converted Appleite. (Thanks to you, Walt!) I’ll never again look at the curved corners without a smile. He took the man out for a ride and showed him traffic signs! And the machines are beautiful.

But I’m not a Jobs-ite. We don’t have to damage people to create perfection, or event to get close to perfection. A perfectly designed device in the hands of a belittled human is just a tool, not an inspiration to do great things. I don’t think Jobs ever understood that point. I don’t think he had any rounded corners.

But then there is the sweetness of the note to his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary.
“…you swept me off my feet.” Twenty years later “…My feet have never returned to the ground.”

I’m exhausted. And exhilarated. I was pinned to the mat by the one constant in Jobs’ life – incredible intensity. Thanks Walt for helping us focus. Ever done that before?

]]> Comment on Wrestling with Steve by Mike Desjardins http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-148 Mike Desjardins Sun, 11 Mar 2012 05:11:43 +0000 http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-148 Thank you for what is a well thought out and well articulated post. I felt similar angst when reading the book; for the similar reasons: my company is run on Macs, we help grow leaders, I'm a Mac addict, but even more so as our Wildly Courageous Decision is to become the Apple of the consulting world (http://www.virtusinc.com/our-story/our-strategy/). This book led to a number of conversations internally and our discussions matched the points you made in this post: Time Magazine CEO of the decade, most valuable company on the planet, highest growth in the industry, "bell of the ball," etc. what would this mean for aspiring leaders? Nothing. We decide who we want to be as leaders. We decide who mentors us - both in real life and virtually. We decide the legacy we want to leave. We decide how we want to be in relationship to the people around us. Our choice was to keep our Wildly Courageous Decision and explain more fully that we want everyone inside ViRTUS to have the same experience our clients do (differently than the experiences of leaders within Apple based on the biography). Thank you for what is a well thought out and well articulated post.

I felt similar angst when reading the book; for the similar reasons: my company is run on Macs, we help grow leaders, I’m a Mac addict, but even more so as our Wildly Courageous Decision is to become the Apple of the consulting world (http://www.virtusinc.com/our-story/our-strategy/). This book led to a number of conversations internally and our discussions matched the points you made in this post: Time Magazine CEO of the decade, most valuable company on the planet, highest growth in the industry, “bell of the ball,” etc. what would this mean for aspiring leaders? Nothing. We decide who we want to be as leaders. We decide who mentors us – both in real life and virtually. We decide the legacy we want to leave. We decide how we want to be in relationship to the people around us.

Our choice was to keep our Wildly Courageous Decision and explain more fully that we want everyone inside ViRTUS to have the same experience our clients do (differently than the experiences of leaders within Apple based on the biography).

]]> Comment on Wrestling with Steve by Walt http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-120 Walt Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:40:37 +0000 http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-120 Those are great points. I don't have a clue which way Apple will go, although there are plenty of smart and caring people to lead in a socially reciprocal mode, if they so choose. It is the force of these intersecting social issues, really, I mean who cared what they were doing when no one was buying their stuff, but BIG leaders have BIG responsibilities (t least in my book). And today day using that silly market cap formula people look at it as the biggest player in the world (sic). ANd one last thing (which you so aptly offer up to us... steve was direct, complex, opinionated etc. He was many out of this world paradoxes rolled into one, and so he lets some of us down, and elates others. I'm very interested to see where/how apple goes forth. They really do have a big chance to do some really great things. Those are great points. I don’t have a clue which way Apple will go, although there are plenty of smart and caring people to lead in a socially reciprocal mode, if they so choose. It is the force of these intersecting social issues, really, I mean who cared what they were doing when no one was buying their stuff, but BIG leaders have BIG responsibilities (t least in my book). And today day using that silly market cap formula people look at it as the biggest player in the world (sic). ANd one last thing (which you so aptly offer up to us… steve was direct, complex, opinionated etc. He was many out of this world paradoxes rolled into one, and so he lets some of us down, and elates others. I’m very interested to see where/how apple goes forth. They really do have a big chance to do some really great things.

]]> Comment on Wrestling with Steve by Elba http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-119 Elba Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:28:49 +0000 http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-119 awesome blog. i enjoyed reading your articles. this is truly a great read for me. i have bookmarked it and i am looking forward to reading new articles. cheers.http://www.magiccampusbrasil.net awesome blog. i enjoyed reading your articles. this is truly a great read for me. i have bookmarked it and i am looking forward to reading new articles. cheers.http://www.magiccampusbrasil.net

]]> Comment on Wrestling with Steve by Sven http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-118 Sven Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:19:47 +0000 http://tellthestory.com/blog/?p=104#comment-118 we're in a moment in time where (thankfully) full lifecycle costs are more frequently calculated and respected. I feel this is where apple and steve in many ways have let us down and have their greatest chance for success. T. Cook seems to be moving apple forward in that direction, to understand that it's not just 'the thing' that matters, but the people who make it, their health and safety, and what happens to the ipad2 when the 3 comes out. Apple has amazing cred, therefore if they take on sustainability as a platform, they will do so with great legitimacy, unlike that of giants such as Wal-Mart or McDonald's where enough skepiscm resides. we’re in a moment in time where (thankfully) full lifecycle costs are more frequently calculated and respected. I feel this is where apple and steve in many ways have let us down and have their greatest chance for success. T. Cook seems to be moving apple forward in that direction, to understand that it’s not just ‘the thing’ that matters, but the people who make it, their health and safety, and what happens to the ipad2 when the 3 comes out. Apple has amazing cred, therefore if they take on sustainability as a platform, they will do so with great legitimacy, unlike that of giants such as Wal-Mart or McDonald’s where enough skepiscm resides.

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