Steve Jobs on being inspired by the Beatles | 60 Minutes Archive
In a Nutshell
Steve Jobs modeled his business approach on the Beatles, where four talented individuals balanced each other's flaws to achieve brilliance greater than the sum of their parts, emphasizing that great business accomplishments require teams, not solo efforts. He highlighted his strength in connecting with talented people, warned against arrogance in success, and viewed his firing from Apple at 30—followed by a comeback at 42—as a pivotal setback that birthed Pixar and taught resilience amid life's unpredictability.
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Steve Jobs' model of business is the Beatles. They were four very talented guys who kept each other's negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people.
Beatles as a business model.
When the Beatles were together, they did truly brilliant, innovative work. When they split up, they did good work, but it was never the same. Business is always a team.
Jobs' biggest strength: meeting incredibly talented people and hanging out with them.
Biggest weakness: Others could probably tell you that even better than me.
All of us need to be on guard against arrogance, which knocks at the door whenever you're successful.
Have you lived through that? Oh, sure.
Jobs had an incredible high with Apple's initial success, then competitors entered and it was sobering. He was fired from Apple at age 30 and invited to come back 12 years later at age 42.
That was difficult when it happened, but maybe the best thing that ever happened. There wouldn't be a Pixar if that hadn't happened. You move on, life goes on, and you learn from it.
Did you think at that moment how sweet it is?
No. Thought what a circle of life. Life is always mysterious and surprising and you never know what's around the next corner.
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