<span style="line-height:1.4em;"> Katie started with Apple when it was a MUCH smaller company. As it has grown (to be HUGE), it may have outgrown the competencies Katie has in her role. In other words, she may no longer have the skill -mix required to perform the role that Apple requires of her. Nothing wrong with that. It requires an astute person to self-evaluate & reach that conclusion, or if told by someone else, to actually hear & accept it.</span>
Katie was at Apple for 18 years but she wasn't VP of Public Relations on day one.
Katie worked her way up through the ranks because she was competent.
Her competence in her role was one of many factors for Apple's tremendous performance over the last decade.
Competence is in the eye of the beholder. Name one other company with the "built in demand" for info, thus keeping people interested in Apple. PR is, by nature of the job, run very differently than any other segment of a company. One should never expect the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from the PR arm of any company. That is not the mandate of PR. To think otherwise is to show a complete misunderstanding of what PR is. Everyone should just STFU and wish Katie a happy and fulfilling retirement and thank her for a job well done.
Well all this arguing aside, cotton has still gone through one of the most prosperous periods of Apple's history. So she must have been doing something right, or just riding other people's good ideas...
I'm not convinced this is going to add to Apple. I've seen some articles on Medium that Apple is going to try and save the music industry. Ben Thompson wrote on his blog Stratechery that this may be another signal that Apple is moving in the direction of a fashion company that just happens to sell technology. And the latest article from the NYTimes claims Apple is buying up 'tastemakers', essentially a group of people replacing what Steve Jobs was.
I personally think this is Apple basically admitting they're way behind when it comes to music. But they're going to have to work fast because the competition isn't sitting back doing nothing. I'll be curious id they attempt to create a YouTube competitor.
That's exactly my point, too - with Cook, the world's greatest COO and NOTHING else in charge, Apple has gone from being the world's trendsetter in all things music-related (i.e., iPod and iTMS) as well as the sheer epitome of "cool" to a mere follower of fads such as Beats, with its overhyped, low quality headphones and its stupid gangsta-style fashion.
So let me state the same thing in other words: Apple has gone from practically CREATING the digital music market to just being another "me-too/let-me-buy-you-with-my-cash" company - there is absolutely no other reason for buying Beats, as already acknowledged by Apple itself:
“The addition of Beats will make our music lineup even better, from free streaming with iTunes Radio to a world-class subscription service in Beats, and of course buying music from the iTunes Store as customers have loved to do for years.”
So there you go: subscription music costs USD 3 billion now.
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
How do you get "[I've] been neglecting [my family] for al these decades" from a desire to spend more time with them?
I remember in my youth I used to go out pretty much every night and then work the next day. Every now and then I'd take a night off to recoup but I can't do that these days. These days, going out past my normal bedtime means I need to plan around not having to work the next day and that's even without staying up as late or drinking, literally just staying up and socializing. I'm not even close to the typical retirement age so why can't a person that use to work 50 hours a week plus another 10 hours in commuting, plus another 5 hours for lunch in their younger years have still been more active when they got home at night or on the weekend than they are after decades of working for the same company. The work hours, commute, and lunch times aren't likely to change but the time you sleep or need rest is probably going to increase gradually and therefore cut into your free time. Absolutely nothing about it says they are neglectful spouses, parents, siblings, or offspring.
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
How do you get "[I've] been neglecting [my family] for al these decades" from a desire to spend more time with them?
I remember in my youth I used to go out pretty much every night and then work the next day. Every now and then I'd take a night off to recoup but I can't do that these days. These days, going out past my normal bedtime means I need to plan around not having to work the next day and that's even without staying up as late or drinking, literally just staying up and socializing. I'm not even close to the typical retirement age so why can't a person that use to work 50 hours a week plus another 10 hours in commuting, plus another 5 hours for lunch in their younger years have still been more active when they got home at night or on the weekend than they are after decades of working for the same company. The work hours, commute, and lunch times aren't likely to change but the time you sleep or need rest is probably going to increase gradually and therefore cut into your free time. Absolutely nothing about it says they are neglectful spouses, parents, siblings, or offspring.
Of course! I agree with everything you say! You're reading far too much into my post.
The problem with the phrase 'spending more time with the family' is that it isn't the whole truth. Cotton has done a long stint with Apple and has obviously earned her retirement. It would just be nice to see some acknowledgement of the other side of things - that she's had a good innings and some reflection on her work. That way we, the reader, get a more balanced and honest view of her retirement. It's almost as those people feel that they need to justify why they are leaving a job. Why should they?
And re getting old: I entirely sympathise with you! I'm only middle-aged, but get stupidly tired, although a large part of that is due to a big accident I had.
That's exactly my point, too - with Cook, the world's greatest COO and NOTHING else in charge, Apple has gone from being the world's trendsetter in all things music-related (i.e., iPod and iTMS) as well as the sheer epitome of "cool" to a mere follower of fads such as Beats, with its overhyped, low quality headphones and its stupid gangsta-style fashion.
So let me state the same thing in other words: Apple has gone from practically CREATING the digital music market to just being another "me-too/let-me-buy-you-with-my-cash" company - there is absolutely no other reason for buying Beats, as already acknowledged by Apple itself:
“The addition of Beats will make our music lineup even better, from free streaming with iTunes Radio to a world-class subscription service in Beats, and of course buying music from the iTunes Store as customers have loved to do for years.”
So there you go: subscription music costs USD 3 billion now.
You can't believe the tripe you just write, can you? Cook oversaw the most profitable period in Apple's history. How does spending < 3% of available cash on Beats define Apple as a "me-too/let-me-buy-you-with-my-cash" company?
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
Hackneyed and insincere, eh? Then maybe you'll take notice of a couple quotes when Peter Oppenheimer announced in early March that he was stepping down:
Tim Cook: "Peter is also a dear friend I always knew I could count on. Although I am sad to see him leave, I am happy he is taking time for himself and his family."
Peter Oppenheimer: "I love Apple and the people I have had the privilege to work with and after 18 years here, it is time for me to take time for myself and my family. For quite some time, I have wanted to live on the central coast of California and get more involved at Cal Poly, my alma mater; spend more time with my wife and sons; travel to interesting parts of the world; and something I have wanted to do for years— finish the requirements for my pilot's license."
It's so easy to toss off comments here and make assumptions that one has no grounds to make. Do you have any direct idea what Cotton or Oppenheimer or anyone else at Apple might have given up over the years to get their jobs done? Some of them have no doubt shown the stamina of mules, carrying workloads that might well kill you or me or other ordinary mortals. But there is often a heavy price to pay. Google Peter Oppenheimer's current photo for example, and compare it to the one he authorizes for Apple's website. Frankly, I hope that now he'll have a chance to take better care of himself before he's cut down by a heart attack or a stroke. (And did you know, BTW, that when Katie Cotton started with Apple 18 years ago, she could have been a contender for Playmate of the Year? )
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
Hackneyed and insincere, eh? Then maybe you'll take notice of a couple quotes when Peter Oppenheimer announced in early March that he was stepping down:
Tim Cook: "Peter is also a dear friend I always knew I could count on. Although I am sad to see him leave, I am happy he is taking time for himself and his family."
Peter Oppenheimer: "I love Apple and the people I have had the privilege to work with and after 18 years here, it is time for me to take time for myself and my family. For quite some time, I have wanted to live on the central coast of California and get more involved at Cal Poly, my alma mater; spend more time with my wife and sons; travel to interesting parts of the world; and something I have wanted to do for years— finish the requirements for my pilot's license."
It's so easy to toss off comments here and make assumptions that one has no grounds to make. Do you have any direct idea what Cotton or Oppenheimer or anyone else at Apple might have given up over the years to get their jobs done? Some of them have no doubt shown the stamina of mules, carrying workloads that might well kill you or me or other ordinary mortals. But there is often a heavy price to pay. Google Peter Oppenheimer's current photo for example, and compare it to the one he authorizes for Apple's website. Frankly, I hope that now he'll have a chance to take better care of himself before he's cut down by a heart attack or a stroke. (And did you know, BTW, that when Katie Cotton started with Apple 18 years ago, she could have been a contender for Playmate of the Year? )
Ah yes, but Oppenheimer expands on the theme, so we see a very genuine-sounding yearning for a release from the treadmill of life. Note also that he first looks back to his work at Apple. I guess my main criticism was the brevity of her statement - thing is, it's often the case with, say, politicians, that when they are forced to resign, they often put brief statements out saying the spend time with family thing. In order to distance herself from that, it might have been wise for Cotton to be more expansive like Oppenheimer. Anyway, she's going to have a story or two to tell!
Ah yes, but Oppenheimer expands on the theme, so we see a very genuine-sounding yearning for a release from the treadmill of life. Note also that he first looks back to his work at Apple. I guess my main criticism was the brevity of her statement - thing is, it's often the case with, say, politicians, that when they are forced to resign, they often put brief statements out saying the spend time with family thing. In order to distance herself from that, it might have been wise for Cotton to be more expansive like Oppenheimer. Anyway, she's going to have a story or two to tell!
Or it may be that Katie Cotton doesn't give a rat's patootie about "distancing herself from that" ... let alone what you or I or her hairdresser may think! I'm with you in one respect - I bet she could write a fascinating insider's memoir about the great growth era of Apple.
In before “I neglected my family during my tenure at Apple and all I got was this lousy shirt.”
That's nearly 13 hours of work per day 7 days a week. That doesn't include lunch, commute, or any other work related chores that you don't get paid. That's also 50% more hours than Foxconn workers are allowed to work.
Comments
Katie worked her way up through the ranks because she was competent.
Her competence in her role was one of many factors for Apple's tremendous performance over the last decade.
Katie was at Apple for 18 years but she wasn't VP of Public Relations on day one.
Katie worked her way up through the ranks because she was competent.
Her competence in her role was one of many factors for Apple's tremendous performance over the last decade.
Oh yeah, I agree with you totally. The context of my whole post was in reply to Taniwha's issue with Anantksundaram.
Please note the word "may" stated twice in my post.
The issue is not honesty.
It's competence.
Competence is in the eye of the beholder. Name one other company with the "built in demand" for info, thus keeping people interested in Apple. PR is, by nature of the job, run very differently than any other segment of a company. One should never expect the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from the PR arm of any company. That is not the mandate of PR. To think otherwise is to show a complete misunderstanding of what PR is. Everyone should just STFU and wish Katie a happy and fulfilling retirement and thank her for a job well done.
I totally and completely wish her a happy and fulfilling retirement.
"Everyone should STFU"? Did someone appoint you the ruler of the internet?:rolleyes:
I totally and completely wish her a happy and fulfilling retirement.
"Everyone should STFU"? Did someone appoint you the ruler of the internet?
No, not at all, but I'm of the opinion that it is better to keep a closed mouth and be thought a fool, than to open it and be proven one.
If you think that is good advice, you should heed it.
Well all this arguing aside, cotton has still gone through one of the most prosperous periods of Apple's history. So she must have been doing something right, or just riding other people's good ideas...
_____________________________
metabolic cooking
Jon Fortt of CNBC tweeted this:
I'm not convinced this is going to add to Apple. I've seen some articles on Medium that Apple is going to try and save the music industry. Ben Thompson wrote on his blog Stratechery that this may be another signal that Apple is moving in the direction of a fashion company that just happens to sell technology. And the latest article from the NYTimes claims Apple is buying up 'tastemakers', essentially a group of people replacing what Steve Jobs was.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/what-the-beats-deal-says-about-apple-it-loves-tastemakers/?_php=true&_type=blogs&hpw&rref=technology&_r=0
I personally think this is Apple basically admitting they're way behind when it comes to music. But they're going to have to work fast because the competition isn't sitting back doing nothing. I'll be curious id they attempt to create a YouTube competitor.
That's exactly my point, too - with Cook, the world's greatest COO and NOTHING else in charge, Apple has gone from being the world's trendsetter in all things music-related (i.e., iPod and iTMS) as well as the sheer epitome of "cool" to a mere follower of fads such as Beats, with its overhyped, low quality headphones and its stupid gangsta-style fashion.
So let me state the same thing in other words: Apple has gone from practically CREATING the digital music market to just being another "me-too/let-me-buy-you-with-my-cash" company - there is absolutely no other reason for buying Beats, as already acknowledged by Apple itself:
“The addition of Beats will make our music lineup even better, from free streaming with iTunes Radio to a world-class subscription service in Beats, and of course buying music from the iTunes Store as customers have loved to do for years.”
So there you go: subscription music costs USD 3 billion now.
No, not at all, but I'm of the opinion that it is better to keep a closed mouth and be thought a fool, than to open it and be proven one.
If you think that is good advice, you should heed it.
See what I mean? ????
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
How do you get "[I've] been neglecting [my family] for al these decades" from a desire to spend more time with them?
I remember in my youth I used to go out pretty much every night and then work the next day. Every now and then I'd take a night off to recoup but I can't do that these days. These days, going out past my normal bedtime means I need to plan around not having to work the next day and that's even without staying up as late or drinking, literally just staying up and socializing. I'm not even close to the typical retirement age so why can't a person that use to work 50 hours a week plus another 10 hours in commuting, plus another 5 hours for lunch in their younger years have still been more active when they got home at night or on the weekend than they are after decades of working for the same company. The work hours, commute, and lunch times aren't likely to change but the time you sleep or need rest is probably going to increase gradually and therefore cut into your free time. Absolutely nothing about it says they are neglectful spouses, parents, siblings, or offspring.
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
How do you get "[I've] been neglecting [my family] for al these decades" from a desire to spend more time with them?
I remember in my youth I used to go out pretty much every night and then work the next day. Every now and then I'd take a night off to recoup but I can't do that these days. These days, going out past my normal bedtime means I need to plan around not having to work the next day and that's even without staying up as late or drinking, literally just staying up and socializing. I'm not even close to the typical retirement age so why can't a person that use to work 50 hours a week plus another 10 hours in commuting, plus another 5 hours for lunch in their younger years have still been more active when they got home at night or on the weekend than they are after decades of working for the same company. The work hours, commute, and lunch times aren't likely to change but the time you sleep or need rest is probably going to increase gradually and therefore cut into your free time. Absolutely nothing about it says they are neglectful spouses, parents, siblings, or offspring.
Of course! I agree with everything you say! You're reading far too much into my post.
The problem with the phrase 'spending more time with the family' is that it isn't the whole truth. Cotton has done a long stint with Apple and has obviously earned her retirement. It would just be nice to see some acknowledgement of the other side of things - that she's had a good innings and some reflection on her work. That way we, the reader, get a more balanced and honest view of her retirement. It's almost as those people feel that they need to justify why they are leaving a job. Why should they?
And re getting old: I entirely sympathise with you! I'm only middle-aged, but get stupidly tired, although a large part of that is due to a big accident I had.
You can't believe the tripe you just write, can you? Cook oversaw the most profitable period in Apple's history. How does spending < 3% of available cash on Beats define Apple as a "me-too/let-me-buy-you-with-my-cash" company?
Tim Cook: "Peter is also a dear friend I always knew I could count on. Although I am sad to see him leave, I am happy he is taking time for himself and his family."
Peter Oppenheimer: "I love Apple and the people I have had the privilege to work with and after 18 years here, it is time for me to take time for myself and my family. For quite some time, I have wanted to live on the central coast of California and get more involved at Cal Poly, my alma mater; spend more time with my wife and sons; travel to interesting parts of the world; and something I have wanted to do for years— finish the requirements for my pilot's license."
It's so easy to toss off comments here and make assumptions that one has no grounds to make. Do you have any direct idea what Cotton or Oppenheimer or anyone else at Apple might have given up over the years to get their jobs done? Some of them have no doubt shown the stamina of mules, carrying workloads that might well kill you or me or other ordinary mortals. But there is often a heavy price to pay. Google Peter Oppenheimer's current photo for example, and compare it to the one he authorizes for Apple's website. Frankly, I hope that now he'll have a chance to take better care of himself before he's cut down by a heart attack or a stroke. (And did you know, BTW, that when Katie Cotton started with Apple 18 years ago, she could have been a contender for Playmate of the Year?
When are people going to think of another excuse for retiring other than "spend more time with my family"? It's the most hackneyed, insincere phrase there could be. Do these people suddenly think to themselves, "My goodness, I've got such a great family, why on earth have I been neglecting them for all these decades? I know! I’ll give my work up and spend lots more time with them!" No. Their work is over, voluntarily or otherwise, and they have no imagination, so they resort to the tired cliché.
Hackneyed and insincere, eh? Then maybe you'll take notice of a couple quotes when Peter Oppenheimer announced in early March that he was stepping down:
Tim Cook: "Peter is also a dear friend I always knew I could count on. Although I am sad to see him leave, I am happy he is taking time for himself and his family."
Peter Oppenheimer: "I love Apple and the people I have had the privilege to work with and after 18 years here, it is time for me to take time for myself and my family. For quite some time, I have wanted to live on the central coast of California and get more involved at Cal Poly, my alma mater; spend more time with my wife and sons; travel to interesting parts of the world; and something I have wanted to do for years— finish the requirements for my pilot's license."
It's so easy to toss off comments here and make assumptions that one has no grounds to make. Do you have any direct idea what Cotton or Oppenheimer or anyone else at Apple might have given up over the years to get their jobs done? Some of them have no doubt shown the stamina of mules, carrying workloads that might well kill you or me or other ordinary mortals. But there is often a heavy price to pay. Google Peter Oppenheimer's current photo for example, and compare it to the one he authorizes for Apple's website. Frankly, I hope that now he'll have a chance to take better care of himself before he's cut down by a heart attack or a stroke. (And did you know, BTW, that when Katie Cotton started with Apple 18 years ago, she could have been a contender for Playmate of the Year?
Ah yes, but Oppenheimer expands on the theme, so we see a very genuine-sounding yearning for a release from the treadmill of life. Note also that he first looks back to his work at Apple. I guess my main criticism was the brevity of her statement - thing is, it's often the case with, say, politicians, that when they are forced to resign, they often put brief statements out saying the spend time with family thing. In order to distance herself from that, it might have been wise for Cotton to be more expansive like Oppenheimer. Anyway, she's going to have a story or two to tell!
Maybe, just maybe, 90 hour work weeks at Apple would keep someone away from their families.
A 90 hour work week gives credence to his trumped up claim that these people have been neglecting their families for decades.
In before “I neglected my family during my tenure at Apple and all I got was this lousy shirt.”
That's nearly 13 hours of work per day 7 days a week. That doesn't include lunch, commute, or any other work related chores that you don't get paid. That's also 50% more hours than Foxconn workers are allowed to work.