Page 71 - The Apple Experience

Feedback requires fearlessness and trust. That’s why fearlessness and trust
come before feedback as far as the principles discussed in this book. A fearful

employee will be unwilling to be open and honest in offering feedback about

the company, its policies, or a manager. A fearful manager who hasn’t

instilled trust will be defensive and unwilling to listen to constructive input.

Fearless employees will disagree with you, but they will offer valuable

feedback when the opportunity presents itself. I read a story about Emma

Sky, a British pacifist who was dedicated to getting the United States out of
Iraq. In 2007 she became a key aide to General Ray Ordierno, the former

commanding general of the U.S. forces in Iraq. The tiny British woman and

the general (Ordierno is 6 feet, 5 inches) made an odd-looking pair, but she

played an outsized role—she actively disagreed with Ordierno. She was

assigned the role purposely to disagree with him! Ordierno is “fearless.”

“Leaders who solicit opinions from people who disagree with them are

smart enough to realize that they do not have all the answers,” says
1
leadership consultant John Baldoni. “Such leaders also must make it safe for

others to disagree: otherwise the exercise is moot.” Baldoni recommends that

companies hire employees who exhibit “character.” In Baldoni’s definition,

character is a willingness to do what’s right for the team and the courage to

stand up for ideas. Apple certainly looks for character. Steve Jobs

admonished his employees not to do what they think “Steve would do” but to

do what’s right for the team. Apple managers also look for people who can

stand up for their ideas, who could go toe-to-toe with Steve Jobs because

they must be brave enough to voice their opinions. The Apple experience
doesn’t work without feedback. Steve Jobs believed so much in feedback—

internal and external—he would periodically pick up the phone at Apple

customer care. He wanted to hear directly from customers about their

frustrations. Jobs didn’t believe the customer was always right. In fact, he