The technology world was rocked this week by Apple. No, it was not because of a new invention or gadget: It was because Steve Jobs, the companies founder and CEO, had to take a step back due to undisclosed health reasons.
I used the term ‘rocked’ due to Apple’s stock dropping eight percent after the announcement.
Here are some of my thoughts surrounding this event:
Steve Jobs IS Apple
At least that is the perception. If this is true, I can understand how the investors feel. Apple has lead technology innovation for the last ten years, seemingly behind the innovations of one man, Steve Jobs.
Now Steve has decided to take time off, potentially stifling Apple’s innovation for several months.
Are You Like Steve?
You are a leader of something. If you are reading this site, there is a high likely-hood you are in control of an IT department or a ministry.
For some of us, we are entrusted with a family, a community group, or a Sunday school class. Regardless, we all have a responsibility to effectively lead ourselves. My question for you is this:
Are you raising up someone like you?
And?
We Need to Reproduce Ourselves
For the sake of this post, I will look at this solely from an IT administrators perspective. Our IT departments are made up of (hopefully) men and women with amazing talents.
Many of them continue to learn more and more daily. Some have a hunger for technology and pick up skills needed to advance in their careers quickly and effortlessly. The problem usually comes from those of us at the top.
We fail to build into people and turn them into leaders.
Many times this is because of trust issues. We worry about giving passwords and permissions to others out of fear they will abuse it. We feel it is better to never test the waters and instead hold everything close to our chests for fear someone will “burn” us.
To be honest, I believe some of us are afraid there may be better talent beneath us and are nervous we somebody might notice and fire us. I think it is important to get over this fear. We will be better leaders, and probably more valuable to our companies and churches, if we empower others.
A few years back, I was working for a school district. About a month after I was hired, the Technology Director was offered a different job and decided to accept it.
When he left, all he gave us was the admin password. We had no clue as to how Group Policies were set up, what servers were actively being used (and what was on them), and we had no idea there was a third domain controller for about three months. Needless to say, it was a mess.
Our headaches could have been averted had this director simply invested into one other person.
This is a Biblical Precedent
To be blatant, Jesus did this. He brought together a group of twelve followers whom he instructed and developed to be just like himself. He even brought three of them, Peter, James, and John, into His inner circle.
One of them is credited with founding the Church (Peter). If we want to be like Jesus, we need to be investing in others. We should be allowing the Gospel of Jesus to change our lives so we can be empowered to change others.
This Builds the Church
Someday you will move on or die. The ministry you lead will be in a state of flux when this happens. Someone needs to know how it is run and be there to take over the reigns when the day comes.
Your church should not have to risk their ‘stock’ dropping because you have gone on to a different (or better) place.
Eric J says
I don’t think apple will lose a beat, the last seveal times jobs left the iphone and ipad came out and were being worked on while he took his leave 😉
Don says
Thats good, I admit.
My main concern is. “what happens when he is gone?”
Who has Steve prepared to take over the creativity reigns?
Eric J says
Tim Cook for buisness, creativity who knows?