Apple put the cult in culture
"Before I got to IBM I used to think that culture was important but now I see it as the most critical"-Lou Gersner
Consider these two statements and you should quickly realize that they are describing two different types of culture. One is internal and the other is external.
Gersner must have quickly realized that in order to save IBM from destroying itself he needed to change it from the inside. He could not control what the customer chose to do but he can lead IBM towards a place where the company can thrive. IBM got out of certain businesses that were not successful and focused on its core.
Apple is the other extreme. It built an internal culture on being so hip and cool that the world wanted to join. They were not building computers for the masses but for the cool creative people. If you bought a product you entered into that culture and you became a member of the Apple cult. You drank the cool aid and bought the genius Tshirt.
I believe that Lou only managed to win half the battle. Yes he managed to resurrect a bleeding giant but did not create the cult following. To move to that level you need products that are remarkable. Products worth remarking about.
Today's question is:
"Can you start a cult?"
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