Ron Johnson, the former Apple executive who led Apple’s retail strategy, said most people misunderstand how Steve Jobs managed people and projects.
Johnson pushed back on the portrayal of Jobs as a micromanager, arguing Jobs cared deeply about details but established trust early and then gave leaders room to run the business.
"He cared about the details. But I’ve never worked for someone who delegated better," Johnson said in an interview with Business Insider ahead of the release of his book, Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple’s Genius.
Johnson joined Apple in 2000 and said Jobs worked closely with the retail team at first, calling regularly for about a year to build a personal rapport before telling him he had "complete trust" and encouraging independent decisions aligned with Apple’s vision.
Johnson also recalled Jobs’ broader views on technology and talent, saying Jobs saw computers as tools to amplify human creativity and used cultural fit when hiring, favouring people who would become "A-Players."
Johnson’s observations are collected in his forthcoming book, Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple’s Genius.
