Bariloche Mountains - Frey Refugio

Bariloche Mountains - Frey Refugio
Bariloche Mountains - Frey Refugio

NYC skyline

NYC skyline

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Reflecton on Steve Jobs

October Check In

Why did I walk a mile down Broadway to place flowers outside an Apple store tonight?  Not sure I can answer this question completely, but, like with the horrible death of John Lennon here on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, I needed to make a statement.  What is that statement?   Well, it's about someone who told us not to follow the crowd, but follow what is inside each of us.

Disclaimer: my first Apple product was an Apple II plus in 1980.  It revolutionized how my dissertation could be written and printed, even though it was not initially accepted by the Dean at Columbia University because it wasn't type-written.

But, I internalized what Steve Jobs said to us and created a work environment that didn't follow crowds, but created an atmosphere of equality, congeniality and respect for the contributions of each employee.  And to ensure that these contributions were maximized, I developed the environment around Macs to enhance productivity at a time when many were saying that Apple would soon be bankrupt.  But, following my gut and perhaps Steve's vision, the decision paid off in terms of a reduced learning curve, ease of use and productivity.

So, I walked down Broadway tonight to acknowledge the appreciation I feel toward someone who encouraged me to think differently.  TV camera reporters wanted me to explain why I had left flowers, but this inner feeling is not something that can be captured in 10-20 second sound/video bites, so I declined.   Like that horrible night when we walked to Strawberry Fields in disbelief, tonight was a time for reflection.

I'll be writing more about other more mundane issues, like the worm explosion in my vermiculture box, but tonight I am wrapped in my thoughts--like so many on Broadway in their coats, anticipating the chill of autumn.