Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success

This is part of the challenge that we non-Steves must face. Most of us aren’t comfortable with the idea of turning into coldhearted control freaks, but we also know that we sometimes need to be tough to keep projects on track.

He never lost sight of the fact that at the end of the day, technology is about people: what stirs their imaginations, what keeps them satisfied, and what makes them smile.

The cost of the big briefings and subsequent focus groups, including airfare and hotels, must have been huge. During all my years working with Apple as both an agency creative director and a consultant, I never attended a formal meeting like this. In fact, I never even attended an overcrowded meeting. There’s something in the blood at Dell that req

two Steves—the merciless, controlling, unrelenting Steve and the inspiring, charming, and deeply human Steve. It was this combination that made him so fascinating, and it’s what made so many people devote their energy, and much of their lives, to his vision.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world . . . are the ones who do.

Just understand that Simplicity is more than a goal—it’s a skill. To successfully leverage its power, you need to get good at it. That takes practice. And this is where things get a little tricky. Because the irony is, becoming skilled in Simplicity isn’t that simple. You can’t just learn it; you need to make it second nature.

Apple lets Chiat shoot for the stars. If it produces a clunker along the way, the world isn’t going to end. People aren’t going to abandon their Apple equipment on the streets.

So, can Simplicity help you build the next Apple? Not unless you have a few thousand of the industry’s best people on call. Can Simplicity help you achieve spectacular results for your business? Absolutely. That’s because Simplicity is not the goal—it’s the guiding light that can help a business achieve its goals.

As those who have worked with Apple will attest, the simpler way isn’t always the easiest. Often it requires more time, more money, and more energy. It might require you to step on a few toes. But more times than not, it will lead to measurably better results.