Steve Jobs gave Tim Cook one piece of advice

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The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now. Read Today's Paper Steve Jobs gave Tim Cook one piece of advice before Apple's CEO transition: 'Never ask what I would do...’ET OnlineLast Updated: Oct 20, 2026, 10:26:00 PM ISTSynopsis

Tim Cook succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple, following Jobs' advice to create his own leadership style. Jobs emphasised the importance of independent decision-making in order to continue Apple's legacy. Under Cook's leadership, Apple expanded its services and maintained operational discipline while facing new challenges in technology. Cook's tenure is marked by collaboration and innovation, steering the company toward future growth.

It's not easy to take over from a legendary founder, particularly when the person who built a company is the company itself. For Tim Cook, taking over from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs meant heading up one of the world's best-known technology companies and constantly being compared with its visionary leader. But Jobs gave him one important instruction: forget what you would have done, and make the right decisions yourself.

What Steve Jobs Told Tim Cook Before Handing Over Apple

Tim Cook revisited that advice in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, explaining how Jobs encouraged him to develop his own leadership style rather than imitate his predecessor. The lesson offers a different perspective on Apple's leadership transition, one built around independence, collaboration and preserving a company's values without copying its founder. “Never ask what I would do, just do the right thing,” Jobs told Cook, according to the latter's recollection.

As reported by Fortune on October 18, Jobs wanted to prevent Apple from becoming overly dependent on memories of its founder. Cook explained that Jobs had observed how Disney could become caught up in discussions about what Walt Disney would have done, and he did not want Apple to fall into the same pattern.

When Jobs offered Cook the chief executive position, he invited him to his home and made clear that his successor did not have to replicate his approach. Cook later described the advice as a “gift” because it removed the pressure of constantly asking himself what Jobs might have done. Instead, he could concentrate on becoming the best version of himself.

How Cook Built His Own Leadership Style At Apple

Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998, initially overseeing worldwide operations. He became chief operating officer in 2005 and succeeded Jobs as CEO in August 2011, shortly before Jobs died in October that year.

Jobs was famous for his product vision and dramatic presentations. But Cook brought a different emphasis to Apple’s leadership, including operational discipline, collaboration and the expansion of its services business. 4/2026 Under Cook, Apple had grown massively and was one of the most valuable public companies in the world, The Guardian reported. His leadership also presented new challenges, including pressure on Apple to make strides in artificial intelligence. Tim Cook's tenure is proof that a successor can stick to the core values of a company and not be a carbon copy of the founder.

The Leadership Lesson That Outlasted Steve Jobs

Tim Cook has said that Jobs believed collaboration could produce results greater than the sum of individual contributions. He recalled Jobs' view that sharing and debating ideas could make them stronger. That philosophy also echoes Jobs' 2005 Stanford University commencement speech, in which he urged graduates to pursue work they loved. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do,” Jobs said.

Tim Cook's own leadership chapter at Apple has now ended. He stepped down as CEO on August 31, 2026, and became executive chairman, with John Ternus succeeding him the following day. As Apple starts another era of leadership, Jobs’ words ring true: a successor does not have to be a shadow of the person before him.The challenge is to understand what made the organisation distinctive, to make independent decisions and to carry its purpose forward in a changing world.
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