Why did Steve Jobs encourage arguments among small groups of employees?
Steve Jobs was the co-founder of Apple Computer. Steve Jobs, who revolutionized the technology world, was the CEO of Apple for a long time. His management strategy was not like the conventional business world. He managed his company quite differently. He encouraged arguments and fights among small groups of employees. Steve Jobs believed that conflicts and debates among talented people pave the way for new innovations. It is a bit like polishing a stone with sandpaper. Although he encouraged new creativity by crossing the boundaries of the employees' personalities, Steve Jobs would talk about work even on late night calls or during vacations.
In an interview during his lifetime, Steve Jobs said that talented people argue against each other. They shout. They make mistakes. Sometimes they argue, and they fight. In fact, they sharpen each other. Reeal progress comes when people are forced to challenge eeach other. Progress is not guaranteed by agreement.
Many Apple employees who have worked under Steve Jobs say that Steve Jobs created team spaces to encourage interaction between different teams. He created ways for engineers and designers to work together to solve each other's problems. He used the same strategy in the creation of the iPhone and at Pixar.
Pete Doocter, Pixar's chief creative officer, said that Steve Jobs would call colleagues for hours. Jobs woould call at any time of the day or night, even at 3 a.m. He didn't care if you were on vacatioon. Jobs' phone conversations after office hours were quite intense. The intensity of those conversations often ignored personal boundaries. Stave Jobs believed in a culture of work-all-the-time.
