Leadership And Life Lessons To Learn From Tim Cook

For years, the world received impressive leadership and life lessons from Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple. However, when the time came for Tim Cook to take over Jobs’s mantle, the lessons learnt were also different. Here’s taking a look at some truly inspiring leadership and life lessons from the man who made Apple the first trillion dollar valued company!

1. Be true to who you are

One of the reasons Tim Cook is remembered for being great is because he never tried being Steve Jobs. He was always true to who he was as an individual first and then thought about the job. In fact, he believed in himself so much, he even came out of the closet despite there not being a gay CEO till that time! Cook was the first ever openly gay CEO on the Fortune 500 list!

Picture credits: thehill.com

2. Listen to those who speak to you

While Steve Jobs was always loud and boisterous, Tim Cook is quiet and reserved. He knew, in order to make his voice heard through the crowd, it is important to listen and take note of what people are saying. The more you listen, the more you learn and the more you start paying attention to what is happening around you. Always giving the impression of reading between the lines, Cook gives one the impression of being a Tibetan monk when someone’s having a conversation with him! This is why he has the capacity to grasp things which aren’t really said out loud as well!

Picture credits: theguardian.com

3. Learn to take risks

Risk taking is but what is expected from an entrepreneur and Tim Cook follows this principle in everything at which he tries his hand. According to Tim Cook, taking risks is equivalent to breaking stereotypes and when you break stereotypes, you achieve the unexpected. While the world of business may be a terrifying one, it is important to remember yesterday’s risks are today’s norms! To take a page from Cook’s book, Apple wouldn’t have been the great force of nature it is! Despite everyone telling him not to release more than one phone at a time, Cook still pushed the Company and today, Apple is known for being the most innovative company in the world.  

Picture credits: theguardian.com

4. Accept the mistakes you make

Often times, people immediately jump to becoming defensive when they make a mistake. Tim Cook follows a simple rule of thumb: when you make a mistake, admit that you have done something wrong and one of the best ways to rectify the mistake is by first accepting the mistake. This works all the more when you as a leader accept where you have gone wrong and in order to lead the right way, there can be no bigger lesson! One of the biggest mistakes Cook made as the CEO of Apple was perhaps by hiring John Browett as the head of Apple stores shortly after the death of Steve Jobs. Browett’s lack of experience and mishandling of the entire company almost drove Apple to the ground and as a CEO, this was perhaps one of the things which went against him the most.

Picture credits: mashable.com

5. Encourage a diverse culture

One of the greatest lessons one can learn from Tim Cook is, the more you encourage diversity, the more creative and innovative your ideas are. Learn to listen to other people, take inspiration from their ideas and grow with them, no matter what they have to say. Push your boundaries, accept that everyone is different and realise, at the end of the day, people always have something informative to say. With offices all over the world, Apple has people from various cultures working at their offices and by promoting a unified front, Cook has ensured the continued growth and acceptance of Apple all over the world!

Picture credits: mashable.com

6. Be responsible

When you’re leading a company, you realise there is a lot of responsibility riding on your shoulders. You have to realise your employees have limitations and that people can’t always deliver what is expected from you as a leader. Be responsible, think ahead and give your employees a leader to look up to and you will definitely be respected! Leading the way for his team, Cook has shown time and again that one of his best skills lies in how he juggles both his professional and personal life!

Picture credits: bussinessworld.co.uk

As a leader, Tim Cook steered Apple to a new era and with the way he leads the Company, there is no doubt that he is a truly great leader. If you think we missed out on any other life lessons from Tim Cook, comment and let us know!