Leadership in apple

Leadership is one of the most important aspects of every organization and business. Leadership
is the process of guiding and directing behavior. Although leadership seems like an easy and
common aspect of an organization to achieve, it is actually very difficult to find quality
leadership skills in order to make a company successful. Apple Inc. is widely known for the
exceptional leadership of Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs’ leadership skills skyrocketed Apple from
another technology company to a world leader in technology. Jobs set the stage for the future of
technology through his successful leadership skills. When Jobs passed away and co-founder Tim
Cook took over as CEO, people were worried that Cook’s leadership skills were not strong
enough to keep Apple as a technology powerhouse. As time went on and Apple’s success
continued and even grew, there was only one thing to credit that success to and that was Tim
Cook’s leadership skills.

According to an article posted by Entrepreneur.com, Tim Cook has six major beliefs that shape
his leadership style. The first belief is don’t fix what isn’t broken. Since Apple was doing so well
as a company when Steve Jobs passed away, Tim Cook held back the urge to make major
changes and do things his way right away because there was no need for it. The second belief is
to keep calm and have faith. When analysts and economists were projecting Apple’s sales to
plummet or said that Apple has reached its peak potential, Cook never panicked. The third belief
is don’t try to be what you’re not. Cook realized that he is not Steve Jobs and no matter how
tempting it is to take over and be the big man in charge, Cook knew to stick to the man he is and
not try to be someone he’s not. The fourth belief is that you can be nice and competitive. The
fifth belief is to make risky and smart bets. Apple has not gotten to where it is today from not
taking risks. With that being said, it is also important to be smart in order to hone in on your
potential success from a risky decision. The sixth and final belief of Tim Cook is to put your
money where your mouth is. With these six beliefs, Tim Cook has been able to project the
quality leadership skills necessary to continue Apple Inc.’s success.

Empowerment in Apple Inc.

Empowerment is sharing power in such a way that individuals learn to believe in their ability to
do a job. Empowerment is a positive form of power, because without the belief that one can do a
job, that person will most likely not do the job. In Apple Inc., managers want their employees to
feel empowered by the job at hand and other parts of the company.

Apple wants their employees to be well rounded and knowledgable, no matter what task they are
working on. Managers and upper level staff at Apple Inc. believe in empowering all employees
that they look over. The more empowerment Apple displays, the more efficient the job will be.

Not only does Apple empower workers and their current task at hand, but also they empower
workers to expand their horizons within the company. Empowerment is a simple idea to push
for, but it can be difficult to put empowerment into place. Apple Inc. has established a way to
empower their workers successfully. Apple provides onsite training and educational courses on
all aspects of Apple Inc. On Apple’s website, they have a section titled, “Empowering Workers:
Preparing People for the Workplace and Beyond”. This demonstrates how Apple encourages all
of their employees to become more well rounded and skillful.

A major part of Apple’s success can be contributed to the continuous empowerment of workers.
An empowered worker is a happy and effective worker. Apple would not be nearly as successful
as they are today if workers did not believe in themselves and their ability of completing a job.

Teamwork in Apple Inc.

When one thinks about an essential aspect for any organization, almost the first thing that comes
to mind is teamwork. Without teamwork, no company would be successful. Teamwork not only
allows different ideas to be expressed, but also it is necessary to get a job done. Teamwork is a
collaborative effort to get a task completed.
In Apple Inc., teamwork is especially important. Apple is all about innovation and creating new
technology first. With the nonstop demands of Apple customers, Apple employees must team up
to figure out the best way to fill these demands. Apple has to consider many aspects of the
company in order to create their product. They need to consider the technology, the marketing,
the finances, and how to use the product. Since all of these aspects are essential in every Apple
product, employees of Apple in all of these fields must team up and work together in order to
make a successful product. Steve Jobs, former Apple CEO, described teamwork as, “Teamwork
is dependent on trusting the other folks to come through with their part without watching them
all the time”. This belief by Steve Jobs helped to establish the importance and foundation of
teamwork in Apple. Apple has 7 key components about team work. The first is that one person is
in charge. The second is that project teams at Apple must meet once a week. Third, teamwork
starts at the top of the organization then trickles down. The fourth component is that trust is key.
The fifth component is to have wonderful arguments. This is a strategy to push people to their
potential. Sixth, one has to let people make decisions. The last, and arguably the most important,
is to work towards one goal.

Stress Management in Apple Inc.

It is no secret that employees of Apple Inc. experience high amounts of stress. The constant
deadlines, the push for new and innovative ideas, and the constant nagging from confused
customers are just some examples of factors that contribute to Apple employees’ stress. So how
do employees at Apple stay sane? Through stress management. The late Apple CEO, Steve Jobs,
practiced meditation religiously, even marrying in a Zen ceremony. Because of his success of
becoming centered and his ability to handle stress due to meditation, Jobs decided to bring these
ideals into his company. According to OnlineMBA.com, Jobs allows employees to, “take 30
minutes each day to meditate at work, providing classes on meditation and yoga on-site, and
offering the use of a meditation room”. There are many companies that do not offer this break in
the work day for stress relief. Although 30 minutes may not seem like much for a work day,
spending 30 minutes each day to destress can do wonders for an individual. Reducing stress can
increase a persons physical and mental health. It can also help them perform better at work and
make work more enjoyable. In extreme cases, like Steve Jobs, meditation and the concepts he
learned through meditation was a major key to his success at Apple. If individuals are given
more time during the day to practice stress management techniques, they will be living healthier
lives.

Motivation in Apple

Apple is a large company made up of thousands of employees. At times, the work can be
stressful and take a toll on an employee’s stamina. In order to keep everything moving
efficiently, managers must motivate their employees to keep working productively. Steve Jobs,
former CEO of Apple, believed in empowering his employees to not only believe in the
company, but also to believe in themselves. Steve Jobs believed in socialized power, which is
when a person uses their power to take interest in others and the goals of the organization, thus
connecting and motivating all parties involved. Apple employees also use each other as
motivation. They trust and inspire one another to be innovative and productive. There are many
brains behind the creation of new Apple technology, and this requires coworkers to have each
other’s backs and support one another. Apple is very much a team oriented company, with many
employees working together on projects. When employees are able to feed off of each other, that
creates more motivation for everyone involved. Apple’s belief of genuine concern for others
makes them a selfless company that likes to see each one of their employees succeed. With this
support, it is easy for motivation to be spread around.

Job Satisfaction in Apple

People who work at Apple, whether it be at a retail store or at Apple Headquarters, have a tough
job. That being said, Apple employees have given feedback saying Apple is a great place to
work. The Huffington Post ranked Apple as 8th in their article titled, “The 10 Best Companies to
Work For”. Among the feedback from Apple employees, the majority are happy with their jobs.
Employees say they like working at Apple because they feel like their work has a major impact
on others. They like knowing that what they do directly impacts someone and that they are a part
of something bigger. Employees also like knowing that they are working with brilliant people.
Everyone who works at Apple is innovative and creative in their own way, and employees feel
like they are constantly learning from coworkers and bettering themselves. Contrary to popular
belief, many employees say that there is a lot of independence and freedom while working at
Apple and they are not micromanaged like many people assume. There is always room to grow
and move in the company and Apple is flexible when it comes to wanting to move around in
different fields in the company. The salaries and benefits from Apple are good, even for part-
time employees. Business Insider reports that part-time employees who work 20 or more hours a
week are given health and 401K benefits. A key concept employees talked about was the
excellent leadership. The late Steve Jobs was applauded for his excellent leadership, and his
predecessor Tim Cook has a 94% approval rating among his employees. Job satisfaction is
essential in a company, because the happier employees are with their jobs, then the more
productive they will be

Apple’s Organizational Culture Type and Characteristics

Apple Inc. has an organizational culture for creative innovation. The company’s cultural features
focus on maintaining a high level of innovation that involves creativity and a mindset that
challenges conventions and standards. The business depends on cultural support and coherence,
which are determinants of competitiveness and industry leadership, especially in addressing
aggressive and rapid technological innovation and product development. The following are the
main characteristics of Apple’s corporate culture:

1. Top-notch excellence
2. Creativity
3. Innovation
4. Secrecy
5. Moderate combativeness
Top-notch Excellence.
Apple’s organizational culture comes with a policy of hiring only the best of the best in the labor
market. Steve Jobs was known to fire employees who did not meet his expectations. This
tradition continues under Tim Cook. Such a tradition maintains and reinforces a corporate culture
that promotes, appreciates, and expects top-notch excellence among employees. This cultural
trait is institutionalized in Apple’s organization. For example, the company has programs that
recognize and reward excellence among workers. Excellence is emphasized as a critical success
factor in the business, especially in product design and development, which is a major growth
strategy (see Apple Inc.’s Generic Strategy and Intensive Growth Strategies).

Creativity.
This cultural characteristic pertains to new ideas that help improve the business and its products.
Apple’s management favors creativity among employees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities. This
characteristic of the corporate culture enables the company to ensure sufficient creativity,
especially among employees involved in product design and development processes. Such
creativity is observable in the design and features of iPhones, Macs, and iPads, among other
products included in Apple’s marketing mix or 4Ps. In this regard, the organizational culture
helps maintain the company’s capacity to satisfy customers’ expectations and preferences.

Innovation.
Apple’s organizational culture supports rapid innovation. The company is frequently appraised
as one of the most innovative companies in the world. Based on this cultural trait, the firm trains
and motivates it employees to innovate in terms of individual work performance and
contributions to product development processes. The corporate culture facilitates rapid
innovation, which is at the heart of Apple Inc.’s business. Rapid innovation ensures that the
company continues to introduce new products that are profitable and attractive to target
customers.

Secrecy.
Steve Jobs developed Apple to have an organizational culture of secrecy. This cultural
characteristic continues to define the company’s human resource development. Secrecy is part of
the company’s strategy to minimize theft of proprietary information or intellectual property. It is
also a strategic management approach that enables Apple Inc. to maximize its leading edge
against competitors. Through the corporate culture, employees are encouraged and expected to
keep business information within the company. This cultural trait is reinforced through the
company’s policies, rules, and employment contracts. In this context, Apple’s organizational
culture helps protect the business from corporate espionage and the negative effects of employee
poaching.

Moderate Combativeness.
Apple’s organizational culture has moderate combativeness. This feature is linked to Steve Jobs
and his combative approach to leadership. He was known to randomly challenge employees to
ensure that they have what it takes to work at Apple. However, under Tim Cook’s leadership, the
company has been changing its corporate culture to a more sociable and a less combative one.
Nonetheless, combativeness remains a major influence in the business. Apple’s corporate culture
exhibits a moderate degree of combativeness that presents challenges that aim to enhance
employees’ output.

Apple’s Corporate Culture – Advantages, Disadvantages, Recommendations

Advantages and Benefits.

The combination of top-notch excellence, creativity and innovation in Apple’s organizational
culture supports the company’s industry leadership. The business is widely regarded as a leader
in terms of innovation and product design. These cultural characteristics empower Apple and its
human resources to stand out and stay ahead of competitors. This corporate culture enables
success and competitive advantages, as well as the further strengthening of the company’s brand,
which is one of the key business strengths shown in the SWOT analysis of Apple Inc. Creativity
and excellence are especially important in the company’s rapid innovation processes for
continuous competitiveness and business development.
Drawbacks and Weaknesses
Apple’s corporate culture brings challenges because of the emphasis on secrecy and the
moderate degree of combativeness. An atmosphere of secrecy limits rapport among workers.
Also, moderate combativeness has the potential to limit or reduce employees’ morale. These
cultural issues can reduce business effectiveness and increase employee turnover. Apple Inc. can
address this situation by modifying its organizational culture to reduce but not necessarily
remove combativeness. This recommendation focuses on reducing the disadvantages of
combativeness, without eliminating the benefits of combative approaches in the company. Also,
Apple can integrate new cultural traits to keep the business relevant, given trends and changes in
the information technology, cloud services, digital content distribution, and consumer electronics
industry environment.

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
With the adjusting of the four cultures and knowing the significance of work fulfilment.Apple
has made a broad and focused advantages bundle for its full time corporate representatives. A
portion of these advantages include: medical coverage, dental protection, vision protection, extra
security, inability protection, arrangement, representative stock buy design, maternity and
paternity leave, paid time off, wiped out days, paid occasions, worker rebate, participation,
transportation help, and expert advancement courses. Apple additionally gives Diversity
Network Associations (DNAs) – bunches where representatives can make associations that make
trust and a sentiment having a place. A few cases of these DNAs include: African American
Employee Association, Apple Jewish Association, Amigos@Apple, Pride@Apple,
Women@Apple. Notwithstanding full time corporate representatives accepting advantages and
system gatherings, Apple's inventory network workers get specific self-improvement benefits.
Apple built up the Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) program. Apple sets
up classrooms in provider offices in a few regions.

Employee benefits
1. Apple employees get an annual 25% discount when they purchase an iPod, computer, or
iPad. Every three years, workers can get $250 off an iPad or $500 off a Mac. Apple
 software is 50% off. The company also offers other discounts for family and friends,
depending on the product.
2. Apple allows mothers to take four weeks of paid leave before giving birth and 14 weeks
after. Non-birth parents get six weeks of paid time off, according to TIME.
3. The tech company also covers the cost of egg freezing.
4. Employees are treated to free beer and appetizers at the company's beer bashes -- not to
mention some of the biggest names in music. Stevie Wonder, Demi Lovato, and
OneRepublic have all performed at these semi-regular events.
5. An employee based in Manhasset, New York, reported Apple provides employees with a
$300 gym credit annually.
6. At Apple, new hires get 12 days of paid time off

Apple is hiring more diverse workers, but its total shares of women and
minorities aren’t budging much

Apple continued to hire greater numbers of Asian, black and Latino workers over the past year,
but the overall racial and gender breakdown of the company’s workforce remains mostly
unchanged since 2016. apple added more women to its leadership ranks in 2017. As a whole,
though, Apple acknowledged in its latest report that diversifying an employee base of roughly
130,000 workers is no easy task, explaining: “Meaningful change takes time.”
Around the world, Apple’s workforce in 2017 is 68 percent male and 32 percent female. That’s
the same gender breakdown that the tech giant reported in 2016. But it reflects a 2 percent
improvement in the number of women in Apple’s ranks over the past three years. That translates
to 37,000 hires, the company said.

Then, Apple reported that 19 percent of its workers were Asian, 9 percent were black and 12
percent were Latino, the 2016 data show.

In sharing its new figures, Apple debuted a new diversity portal that emphasized many of its
hires over the past year — 27 percent — identify as underrepresented minorities. In tech-related
fields, meanwhile, the iPhone giant estimated that 50 percent of its newest workers come from
underrepresented groups, including women as well as blacks, Latinos and other racial minority
groups.

Apple also stressed that it has added more women to its leadership ranks.

In 2017, the company reported that 29 percent of leadership roles are filled by women, up from
28 percent last year. Among the additions at the top of the tech giant are Katherine Adams,
Apple’s new general counsel; Isabel Ge Mahe, who oversees Apple’s work in China and Deirdre
O'Brien, who recently was elevated to become the company’s vice president of People.