How Steve Jobs Made Employees Feel Like Owners
Steve Jobs had a unique way of making employees feel like they owned the company. He did this by giving them stock options. This was not common back then. He explained this idea at a conference in 1983.
The Stock Option Strategy
Jobs said that buying stock directly would be risky for employees. They could lose a lot of money. Instead, Apple gave employees options to buy stock at the current price. These options could be used over four years.
- If the stock price went down, employees would not lose money.
- If it went up, they could buy at the lower price and make a profit.
This made employees stay with Apple for a long time.
The Bigger Picture
The main goal was not just about money. Jobs wanted employees to feel like they owned the company. He wanted them to work for Apple first, not just their boss.
"More than 80% of Apple was owned by employees before it went public. Even after, half of the company was still in their hands."
The Vision and Motivation
Jobs believed that finance was not the main driver at Apple. The real motivation was building a company that felt like their own. He focused on:
- Hiring the best talent
- Creating a shared vision
This made employees proud and loyal to Apple.
The Legacy
This idea inspired many people, including Guy Kawasaki. He learned a lot from Jobs about making employees feel like owners.
