The North Star has always been the same, which for us, is about making insanely great products that really change the world in some way - enrich people's lives.
Tim CookRead
Companies that get confused, that think their goal is revenue or stock price or something. You have to focus on the things that lead to those.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Companies should prioritize their core mission and values over just financial metrics.
In this quote, Tim Cook highlights that companies often lose sight of their fundamental purpose when they focus too heavily on financial outcomes like revenue or stock price. He emphasizes the importance of concentrating on the underlying factors, such as innovation, customer satisfaction, and company culture, that drive financial success rather than solely chasing those financial metrics.
Themes
BusinessSuccessValuesInnovationCompany Culture
In practice
Example use cases
During a leadership conference, when discussing long-term business strategies.
More from Tim Cook
All quotes βThere have been people that suggest that we should have a back door. But the reality is if you put a back door in, that back door's for everybody - for good guys and bad guys.
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I don't subscribe to the view some people have in the industry that you should purposefully design products that do not last that long. I don't think it is good for anyone.
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When technological advancement can go up so exponentially, I do think there's a risk of losing sight of the fact that tech should serve humanity, not the other way around.
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Work takes on new meaning when you feel you are pointed in the right direction. Otherwise, it's just a job, and life is too short for that.
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That has always been the objective of Apple: to do things that really enrich people's lives. That you look back on and you wonder, 'How did I live without this?'
Tim CookRead
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