Richard Decker’s Post

A LOT of people LOVE Apple products. Fair, they make good products. Many misunderstand what's good about them though. (Opinion piece) What I like about Apples approach to their "Walled Garden" is their dedication to quality. They determine, correct or not, what they believe to be the absolute best quality and then they do that. Sometimes (often) it excludes other platforms, other systems, other hardware etc. When they actually beat the opposite technology by enough, it's understandable. They push the limits of the industry. When they don't it's just a horrible way of creating a new standard or trying to kill existing industries. Which means, unless you can beat the industry standard by heaps DON'T do what Apple does. Try improving (non commercial) standards instead. Don't believe you can make a walled ecosystem users think is worth dedicating themselves to. Don't design software to be unusable by other systems. Don't use new file formats or standards unless absolutely necessary. Let people hold it wrong. Let them find new ways it can help their problems. Find the core of the product and ignore everything else. There will always be unsatisfied customers. If they don't align with your core, inform that the product can't and won't do what they need. Software always ends up bloated if successful enough. The good companies realize it and backtracks. Maybe Apple will see where they are going to themselves ;)

Every last and little detail needs to be considered.

Steve jobs impacted millions of lives through his drive and grit. Here are 6 lessons every High-Performer should learn from him 1. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Always strive for the highest quality in everything you do. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Jobs' obsession with perfecting the design and functionality of Apple products. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." 2. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Focus on a few important things rather than spreading yourself too thin. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Jobs cut down Apple’s product line to focus on key products, leading to the success of the iPhone and iPad. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully." 3. 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Make products and processes as simple as possible. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: The intuitive and minimalist design of Apple’s user interfaces. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "That's been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple." 4. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Constantly seek new ways to improve and create revolutionary products. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Jobs’ push for innovation led to the development of groundbreaking products like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." 5. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Do what you love and put your heart into it. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Jobs' passion for technology and design drove him to create iconic products that changed the world. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." 6. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 - 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Surround yourself with talented people and inspire them to do their best work. - 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Jobs’ ability to recruit and motivate a top-notch team at Apple. - 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people." ♻ Repost this infographic to help your network. P.S. Which lesson resonates the most?

Recollecting the old story: 10th Apple effect (diminishing gratitude) Sharing an inspiring story of the 10 Apple effect today. A hunter lost his way deep inside the jungle while chasing a deer. He used all his navigation skills but couldn't find any way out nor any food to eat for 8 days. He started feeling so damn hungry that he could eat an entire elephant at one go. Disappointed, he lost all hope. That's when an apple tree caught his sight. He collected a dozen apples to feed him for the rest of his search. As he ate the 1st Apple, his joy knew no bounds, and he just couldn't stop feeling grateful and blessed. But he was less grateful when having the 2nd apple and even lesser grateful when he had the 5th apple. With each passing apple, the hunger still kept on increasing, and the joy kept on reducing drastically. He just couldn't enjoy the 10th apple. Why? Because he had taken for granted the gift of finding an apple tree in the middle of a forest after 8 long days of wandering with hunger. Lesson Learned: The hunter represents us, and the apple represents the gifts that life bestows us. The 10th apple exemplifies our lack of gratitude for these gifts of life and our 'take everything for granted' belief. As we continue receiving the gifts of life, our hunger, our greed keeps on increasing, and the joy we get from these gifts diminishes. Remember, the 10th apple is as sweet as the first apple; if the 10th apple fails to give you as much pleasure as the first one, nothing is wrong. Economics calls this law of diminishing marginal utility. in simple words, taking things for granted. Or let's just call it the 10th apple effect.

Recently I heard a rumor about an upcoming Apple release. Truthfully, I don’t pay attention to rumors because I think, one way or another, they end up being a waste of time. Rumors about upcoming products and updates circulate mainly because people get excited about new things. This is especially true when it comes to Apple. For the consumer, a rumor like this creates hope built on speculation. When the expected doesn’t happen, that hope is crushed. What was the point in it? And it’s yet more complicated and insidious for the company at the heart of the rumor. Companies react to rumors and leaks differently. Some try to roll with them, making pre-announcements. This can put them in a difficult situation. If the product isn’t working how they imagined it would, they have no leeway; when the time comes, they have to ship. It’s a trap many CEOs fall into and one of the reasons I don't pre-announce features we're working on at Daylite. Apple stays quiet about what they’re working on. And for a few good reasons. If an Apple product isn’t ready, even coming up on its release date, they may decide not to go to market. When Steve Jobs was around this could be really dramatic. He was capable of making tough decisions very late in the game. Moreover, he liked to drop the mic. He wanted to come out, publicly and visibly, with something nobody was expecting. Rumors throw a monkey wrench into that kind of marketing and showmanship, so Apple did, and still does, keeps things quiet. If you value your time, don’t bother with rumors, even from accredited sources. Wait until it comes from someone like Tim Cook. It won’t be a rumor. #Tech #MacLife

Why do so many people choose Apple over other brands? Dr. Seuss explained it perfectly with The Sneetches: our need to belong is universal. Discover how Apple taps into this feeling with their clear 'WHY'. The part of our brain that makes decisions is the neocortex. This area is responsible for higher-order thinking, such as reasoning, planning, and problem-solving. When companies start with 'WHY'—the purpose or belief behind their actions—they connect with our emotions and values. This connection influences our decision-making at a deeper level, beyond just the features of a product. Apple's success demonstrates the power of starting with 'WHY' to create loyal customers. PS - I am an Android/PC kind of guy…

Who are you calling a #failure? There seems to be an ongoing narrative about the biggest #product failures that starts with #Apple's #Newton. I happen to have a few of them including the one below (why? different post, different day). And while I'm sure others far smarter than me have already shared their perspective, this was a great example of how to look at a product based approach thoughtfully, including: * Good idea, poorly executed: We all have a device or three that are of this general size and has all of the features of this device (well, sans handwriting recognition, perhaps) that are effectively tethered to us and a core part of how we get through our day-to-day * Ultimately, people WILL pay a premium for things of value: a lot of the bad press about the failure was how expensive it was. Apple hasn't changed their premium pricing, and competing solely on price is generally not where we want to be regardless. The best product is rarely the cheapest. * Reflect on what the real needs are when a feature doesn't hit the mark: handwriting recognition was likely to be difficult under any circumstances - anyone who has seen my post-its and my awful handwriting can affirm it's unlikely to ever be accurately captured. What I think people most wanted was an easy way to access key information that was portable and intuitive. Shortly after the Newton fiasco, everyone had Palm Pilots and then ultimately BlackBerries, and even the latter was successful by avoiding handwriting recognition and putting a tiny little keyboard. Solve the problem a different (and viable) way.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what if you're an orange? 1. Problem: Most people are too busy being apples. They're trying to fit into a mold, to be something they're not. They're denying their true selves, their core values, their unique value propositions (UVPs). They're trying to be the shiniest apple in the barrel and wondering why they still feel rotten. 2. Agitation: What if I told you, you've been sold a lie? That trying to be the best apple isn't the answer. That you're not an apple at all – you're an orange. And no matter how hard you try, you'll never be the best apple because you're not an apple. You're an orange, attempting to thrive in an apple-centric world. 3. Solution: Discovering your core value, your UVP, is like realizing you're an orange in a world full of apples. It's liberating. It's life-changing. And it's the only way to truly succeed. Because when you embrace your orange-ness, you stop competing with the apples and start standing out for what you truly are. Stop trying to be an apple. Embrace your orange-ness. Discover your core value, your UVP. And watch as the world stops trying to compare you to apples, and starts appreciating you for the delicious, unique orange you are. Embrace the orange. Unearth your UVP. Let the world taste your zest.

Jony Ive: “Ideas are always fragile” “Ideas—by definition—are always fragile. If they were resolved, they wouldn’t be ideas. They would be products that were ready to ship.” The legendary Apple designer continues: “I’ve come to learn that you have to make an extraordinary effort not to focus on the problems, which are implicated with any new idea. These problems are known. They’re quantifiable and understood. But you have to focus on the actual idea, which is partial, tentative, and unproven.” All new ideas have problems, and if you don’t suspend your disbelief and trust that you will find a solution, you will lose faith in your idea. “That is why criticism and focusing on the problems can be so damaging—particularly in the absence of a constructive idea. Remember, opinions are not ideas. Opinions are not as important as ideas. Opinions are just opinions.”

Jony Ive: “Ideas are always fragile” “Ideas—by definition—are always fragile. If they were resolved, they wouldn’t be ideas. They would be products that were ready to ship.” The legendary Apple designer continues: “I’ve come to learn that you have to make an extraordinary effort not to focus on the problems, which are implicated with any new idea. These problems are known. They’re quantifiable and understood. But you have to focus on the actual idea, which is partial, tentative, and unproven.” All new ideas have problems, and if you don’t suspend your disbelief and trust that you will find a solution, you will lose faith in your idea. “That is why criticism and focusing on the problems can be so damaging—particularly in the absence of a constructive idea. Remember, opinions are not ideas. Opinions are not as important as ideas. Opinions are just opinions.”