Former Apple CEO John Sculley Looks Back and Shares Insider Tips with Anthony Katz
When John Sculley launched his career at Pepsi as a trainee in 1967, the though of occupying the company’s CEO position seemed like a distant reality. However, by 1970 he had become the company’s youngest marketing Vice President, and later took on the role of CEO by the end of the decade.
During his successful tenure with PepsiCo, Sculley was sought out and later recruited by Apple for the CEO position in 1983. Unsure about making the leap to another company, Steve Jobs famously persuaded Sculley by confronting him with the question of whether he wanted to spend his life selling sugared water or join him in making a change in the world — and a change he made. The animosity between Sculley and Jobs is no secret — their relationship can best be described as a clash between two strong creative personalities.
Since Jobs’ untimely death in 2011, Sculley has discussed his time at the company at length, including his peculiar relationship with Jobs. Here Sculley takes the time to speak with me as he fondly shares his memories of the Apple founder and what he has learned and taken along with him throughout his illustrious career.
His time in various tech industries, surrounded by the best creative minds have led him to develop a very unique viewpoint that can be adapted to fit every business. What follows are insider tips I have assembled from our one-on-one conversation, covering an array of topics that can be of use to everyone, regardless of the stage of their professional career.
The Secret is Teamwork
Apple is known for its exceptional visuals and design, and while Jobs was a creative force, he couldn’t actually draw, and so had to use metaphors to explain his ideas, Sculley says.
He goes on to explain that he interpolated and drew Steve’s ideas, allowing Jobs to materialize his ideas and bring them to life. Despite being at odds with each other, they learned from each other along the way and built on each other’s strengths.
While Sculley and Jobs had many disagreements and clashes over the company’s operation, a mutual respect for each other’s skills and visions led Apple to reach new heights and successes during their time at the company. Respect is necessary to do great things with others. Reflecting on our talk, I garner that Sculley believes that the team doesn’t have to be like you, nor possess the same skillsets — you must find what is missing and how you can add to it.
Be a Strong Leader
“All successful companies have a leader who has a very clear vision of what they want accomplished” says Sculley.
It’s widely documented that Jobs was a visionary who had incredible foresight and clear goals for his company. However, his young age and inexperience in a managerial position led to Apple recruiting Sculley to the company. His experience as president and CEO of Pepsi, where he took the reigns and overhauled the company’s image and resulting public perception led him to take on the role of CEO, and bring some “adult supervision” to the team. A leader needs to have set clear goals, establish the proper resources and recruit those necessary to turn this vision into reality. A strong leader will guide his team to success, and make everyone’s role that much clearer.
Jobs’ “ability to connect the dots and see things was part of his brilliance” Sculley states, “we can all learn from that“.
Let your Employees Develop their Skill Sets
Ideas and visions are crucial to a company’s success. Different people bring different skillsets to the table, and in order to maximize the benefit to your company, you must capitalize on these individual strengths. You must also leave room for your employees to grow and develop different skillsets during their tenure at your company.
Make sure your employees understand what you are saying. Part of Jobs’ brilliance, as stated by Sculley was that “he was able to explain his products the best way possible, not necessarily using technical terms”. If everyone understands your vision, they can work on developing their skills and bring new ideas to the table.
Customer First, Product Second
Your customers are your priority. Get to know your potential and current customers before developing your product any further, in order to target the right audience through the right channels. Start by identifying customer needs and wants and then build on the technology needed to attain your marketing objectives. What differentiated Apple from their competitors at the time was their exceptional customer service, and their dedication to making their products user-centric and user-friendly, as they were developed with their customers in mind.
Have the Right End Goal in Mind
Venture into your business with the right attitude in mind.
Sculley asserts that “money is an outcome, not the sole purpose”.
Apple’s success can be attributed to Jobs’ unique visions for the company, that weren’t driven for the ultimate goal of profit. Earnings will be the result of hard work being put into the product and the resulting customer satisfaction.
Since his time at Apple, John Sculley has delved into several ventures and taken on prestigious roles for an array of companies. We can learn a lot from Sculley’s time at Apple, as well as the various roles he has occupied over the years. While titles and companies change, his core beliefs remain the same and can serve as the groundwork for any successful company.
