Introduction
Regarding business firms, greatness is very speculative and open to interpretation, just like in any other field. One should consider many factors, including time context, external factors, internal structures, and the role of the strategic leader when determining whether a company is performing tremendously or as usual. From a personal viewpoint, one of the signs of greatness can be considered the ability to remain one of the leading actors in one’s field for a long time after a breakthrough or an incredible success.
Another sign is the skill to continually improve a product or service developed by a predecessor who was an innovator, genius, or prophecy. Interestingly, Tim Cook meets these two criteria; his leadership method will be discussed here.
Company’s Description
One can rightly say that Apple partly designs the modern world. Experts explain, “Apple Inc (Apple) designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, tablets, personal computers (PCs), portable and wearable devices” (Apple Inc: Overview, n.d., para. 1). This organization is the leader in the business segment of consumable high-tech products and software. In the new digital era of human existence that Apple and its competitors have built, it is one of the few trendsetters. The economists of future centuries will certainly study Apple as academics today study the early Ford Motor Company, Coca-Cola, or McDonald’s.
Current Strategic Leader’s Description
Tim Cook has been Apple’s strategic leader for more than a decade. As the official statement states, “Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple and serves on its board of directors” (Tim Cook, n.d., para. 1). Before taking this position, Cooke had extensive managerial expertise at Apple and other large companies involved in developing and delivering high-tech products to the public.
Transformational Leadership of Tim Cook
Tim Cook’s leadership style explains why today’s Apple has stopped chasing innovation and focuses on continuous improvement. According to Kim (2020), he adheres to and manifests the transformational leadership model. He uses inspiring techniques like imposing high workplace ethics, providing clear goals and directions, communicating expectations, creating a sense of interconnectedness in success and failure, and providing safety for trial and error (Kim, 2020).
The combination of these methods shows that he thinks of leadership in two ways. It can be assumed that he perceives it as an ability and a skill (Northouse, 2020). Moreover, the choice of these techniques indicates the presence of at least four of the six personality traits of a successful leader in Cook, which are intelligence, confidence, commitment, and integrity.
As for now, Apple continues to excel ideologically and financially globally. It means that Cook’s transformational leadership methodology is successful and aligned with Apple’s mission. It is noteworthy that Apple claims it will ” bring the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software, and services” (Cuofano, 2023, para. 1).
The only problem is that Steve Jobs-level innovation has not happened yet. Transformational leadership is about bringing a significant change. In Cook’s defense, it is worth mentioning that he has only been running Apple for a decade, and his technological revolution is yet to come. By all other criteria, he meets the concepts of a strategic and transformational leader.
Conclusion
Sometimes, it takes effort to determine the criteria for greatness. Analyzing whether a business entity does excellent or is just that its competitors are underperforming requires both fundamental and contextual professional knowledge. Identification of leadership style is a process of a similar level of complexity. At first glance, it is hard to say that the current Apple is a great company, but it is because it was able to outgrow its own most outstanding innovation and continue to evolve.
References
Apple Inc: Overview. (n.d.). GlobalData. Web.
Cuofano, G. (2023). Apple mission statement and vision statement. FourWeekMBA. Web.
Kim, H. (2020). Comparison of strategic leadership: Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. Business and Management Studies, 6(3), 17–25.
Northouse, P. G. (2020). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). SAGE Publications Inc.
Tim Cook: Chief executive officer. (n.d.). Apple. Web.
