Page 64 - The Apple Experience

anyone but himself. The 49ers reached the playoffs that season for the first
time since 2002, losing the NFC title game in overtime. Many of the players

said that Harbaugh was the most inspiring coach they had played for. In

sports and in business, players need to trust their leader.

Get Better

Managers who get better are constantly soliciting feedback, reading

books, and learning new skills to keep up with the pace of change in today’s

world. When Apple sends out a customer survey, its stores are “growing.”

When an Apple Store manager asks employees for feedback, he’s growing.
Apple managers are urged to tackle the sixty-seven leadership competencies

discussed in the Korn/Ferry book, FYI: For Your Improvement. Some Apple

Stores have several copies of the book available for their staff. No one expects

an employee to master all sixty-seven competencies, but they are encouraged

to improve in one or two areas a year as part of their ongoing personal and

professional development.

Confront Reality

A manager who confronts reality tackles tough issues head-on. She

doesn’t let things fester. She shares bad news as well as the good news. She’s

also quick to address “opportunities” to improve customer interaction. (Apple

Retail employees seem to avoid the word problem.) For example, if a manager

sees that an employee had a difficult time with a customer, she might address

the situation by asking, “Can you tell me about that experience? I’d like to

know your perspective, and then I’ll tell what I saw. Together we can work at

creating an opportunity to enhance the customer experience.” Avoiding the
word problem or other negative words helps establish trust, which will