An unforgettable lesson from Steve Jobs to his late employee!

In the mid-1980s, Ron Givens, who worked as a quality manager at Apple, shared an interesting anecdote about Steve Jobs' leadership style. Jobs' secretary was frequently late for work and expected to be reprimanded every time. However, Jobs handled the situation with an unconventional solution.

One morning, when the secretary arrived late again, she expected to be scolded upon entering Jobs' office. Instead, Jobs asked her sincerely, 'Did you have trouble on the way?' The secretary admitted that her car broke down frequently. The next day, Jobs approached his secretary with a new Jaguar key in his hand and said, 'Take this, you won't be late anymore.'

This gesture revealed two important aspects of Jobs' leadership philosophy. First, his ability to produce unexpected and personalized solutions to increase employee motivation; and second, his skill in showing sensitivity to employees' needs by bending rigid rules.

Ron Givens describes this approach of Jobs as that of 'a leader who not only manages but also nurtures the creative energy of his teams.' Such gestures by Jobs continue to be discussed even today as part of his visionary leadership style.