Steve Jobs promoted opportunities for women at Apple, NeXT
A panel involving several women who worked at Apple and NeXT in the early days of personal computing recently discussed Steve Jobs' relentless drive to build new products, particularly noting how treated women as equally capable to achieve greatness.
Looking back at how women are portrayed in movies during the 1970s and 80s, it almost appears to be a joke how backward corporate culture was in the realm of gender equality. That highlights the contrast seen at Apple since its founding.
At an event entitled "Lessons Learned From The Powerful Women Who Worked With Steve Jobs," held by the Cunningham Collective--organized by Jobs' former publicist Andy Cunningham--a roundtable of early female leaders who worked with Jobs at Apple, NeXT and Pixar discussed aspects of Apple's co-founder related to the women he worked with.
The event was moderated by Katie Hafner, a journalist who covered Apple and NeXT for the New York Times, BusinessWeek and Newsweek in the 1980s and 90s.
Panelist Joanna Hoffman, who worked on the original Macintosh team with Jobs and later joined him at NeXT, noted in retrospect how Jobs surrounded himself with a large proportion of women in high ranking jobs.
Reporting on the event, Michelle Quinn wrote for for Silicon Beat that Jobs "didn't care about the gender of his colleagues, just as long as they could get the job done."
Quinn wrote that in the discussion--which also involved Debi Coleman, who worked as a finance and operations chief at Apple for over a decade; Susan Barnes, the controller for the Mac division and a cofounder of NeXT; and Barbara Koalkin Barza, a Mac product manager and director of marketing for Pixar-- "the Steve Jobs that emerged was one appreciated for his fierce passion and drive that meant he judged his colleagues on whether they cared as much as he did about a product's success."
Barnes related an incident where she had been involved in a negotiation with an Apple partner. That company's chairman told her she should go shopping while the men discussed the deal. In response, Jobs faxed over an ultimatum: 'Ms. Barns makes the decision on this negotiation.'
The women also noted that Jobs had predicted in the 1980s that Japan's economic success would be handicapped as an economy moving forward because of a culture that confined women to a limited role.
Coleman called her colleague Hoffman "a heroine to me" in showing how to stand up to Jobs, but also that Jobs expected women to challenge his ideas, rather than just take instructions.
The corporate culture Jobs fostered at Apple, promoting diversity and inclusion, not only left a model for other tech companies to follow, but has been expanded upon by Jobs' successor Tim Cook.
Looking back at how women are portrayed in movies during the 1970s and 80s, it almost appears to be a joke how backward corporate culture was in the realm of gender equality. That highlights the contrast seen at Apple since its founding.
At an event entitled "Lessons Learned From The Powerful Women Who Worked With Steve Jobs," held by the Cunningham Collective--organized by Jobs' former publicist Andy Cunningham--a roundtable of early female leaders who worked with Jobs at Apple, NeXT and Pixar discussed aspects of Apple's co-founder related to the women he worked with.
The event was moderated by Katie Hafner, a journalist who covered Apple and NeXT for the New York Times, BusinessWeek and Newsweek in the 1980s and 90s.
Panelist Joanna Hoffman, who worked on the original Macintosh team with Jobs and later joined him at NeXT, noted in retrospect how Jobs surrounded himself with a large proportion of women in high ranking jobs.
Reporting on the event, Michelle Quinn wrote for for Silicon Beat that Jobs "didn't care about the gender of his colleagues, just as long as they could get the job done."
Quinn wrote that in the discussion--which also involved Debi Coleman, who worked as a finance and operations chief at Apple for over a decade; Susan Barnes, the controller for the Mac division and a cofounder of NeXT; and Barbara Koalkin Barza, a Mac product manager and director of marketing for Pixar-- "the Steve Jobs that emerged was one appreciated for his fierce passion and drive that meant he judged his colleagues on whether they cared as much as he did about a product's success."
Barnes related an incident where she had been involved in a negotiation with an Apple partner. That company's chairman told her she should go shopping while the men discussed the deal. In response, Jobs faxed over an ultimatum: 'Ms. Barns makes the decision on this negotiation.'
The women also noted that Jobs had predicted in the 1980s that Japan's economic success would be handicapped as an economy moving forward because of a culture that confined women to a limited role.
Coleman called her colleague Hoffman "a heroine to me" in showing how to stand up to Jobs, but also that Jobs expected women to challenge his ideas, rather than just take instructions.
The corporate culture Jobs fostered at Apple, promoting diversity and inclusion, not only left a model for other tech companies to follow, but has been expanded upon by Jobs' successor Tim Cook.
Comments
What pundits/analysts/Mike Daisey see: "Steve Jobs did not promote opportunities for men, animals at Apple, NeXT"
And the narrative to elect Hillary based solely on her gender continues to roll on.
What? This sounds like you have PTSD. Everything sounds like a grenade.
What? This sounds like you have PTSD. Everything sounds like a grenade.
LOL... No idea what you're going on about. Aaaaaaaaand blocked.
And the progressive narrative to elect Hillary based solely on her gender continues to roll on. I ain't buying it.
This is how you hijack a thread...
Look at that photo! At first glance there appears too be a majority of women. This is the Steve Jobs that many who never knew him personally nonetheless knew existed. This is the Steve Jobs that people who worked with him dearly miss. This is why the film Steve Jobs (which I did not see but which I heard much commentary about) is an utter failure.
LOL... No idea what you're going on about. Aaaaaaaaand blocked.
The voices in your head that related the story to Hillary didn't connect the dots for you on my post?
New word: How about "lowjerk"?
And the progressive narrative to elect Hillary based solely on her gender continues to roll on. I ain't buying it.
Your posts are really, really dissapointing sometimes. You choose to enter your grade school persona at random times. What the hell does Hillary, or a "progressive narrative" have to do with this? Why derail and lower this thread into the gutter? This is about the things SJ did. You don't need to take every tiny excuse to go on your political, partisan tirade.
it's annoying already ... and think how long there is to go to the election ... :no:
It's a shame that stories like this will not get enough press coverage.
Yes, but you’ll never hear it.
It is and probably was the point to Jobs. But through today's lens, it's used to prop up other agendas. Cook is no doubt a great leader but like all leaders left or right of center, they feel the need to push the pendulum too far the other way instead of letting it settle exactly where it needs to be at this moment.
Let's hope not… I think that our community is a bit above that and, if it isn't, that's what moderators are here for, amirite?
In fact, attacking the problem at its source (young people and the education system) is the most effective and consensual way to go about it… Just imagine those girls bragging to their friends about just how cool their experience was? Sure, some would be a$$holes and bully them by calling them nerds, but the smarter ones, upon learning just how big of a deal WWDC is and how well-paid coders can be, would be downright envious…
Are you sure you aren't an MRA in disguise?
I’m confused why sexism against men is okay to you, but perhaps I misunderstand your definition of the phrase.
It is and probably was the point to Jobs. But through today's lens, it's used to prop up other agendas. Cook is no doubt a great leader but like all leaders left or right of center, they feel the need to push the pendulum too far the other way instead of letting it settle exactly where it needs to be at this moment.
You confuse leaders with everyday Joe. Leaders are to LEAD, and not set the pendulum at the center where the pendulum itself will stop eventually by itself without any outside influence or force..
I am, however, disturbed by sexism towards men, obviously. But the fact of the matter is that a true, decent and level-headed feminist would do unto others as she wished that was done unto her and never advocate for men to be harmed, harassed or otherwise deprived of their civil and legal rights (that includes paternity leave, a proper and fair treatment in cases of sexual assault, effective suicide prevention strategies etc.), and even though that crap *does* happen to men, it is statistically a rarer occurrence by comparison and is *far* outweighed and overshadowed by the privilege males are given.
And you know what, this might sound a bit Ayn Rand-ish (god, how I loathe that woman… especially since she was supposedly a self-professed feminist, ugh), but as far as male privilege and the job market go (which is actually the subject matter we're discussing, not men's rights at all), I wouldn't mind in the least giving it away, like if I was living in a true meritocracy, and actually having to fight for my place at any and all times.
Oh, maybe I think this way because in my Faculty and profession (Fine Arts and Communication Design, in case you're wondering), men have been in the minority for quite a while (here in my country, at least, since it's been recognized as a proper profession since only very recently – the late 70s or so – and had a huge influx of people – mostly women – from new degrees)… But anyway, whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is that sexism has always revolted me from a very early age. I've always found those aisles of pink toys disturbing and depressing, and remember becoming utterly revolted when very obviously girly-coloured LEGO sets were first introduced in the 90s; I felt that both parties would be missing out and unnecessary and unnatural divisions were being created between genders, since I was used to play with them along with girls (who had the same sets as I did) just fine until that point. You could say that that was my first “Aha!” moment when it came to sexism.
A few years down the line, I now know that the fact that I was revolted at all was a reflex of an already gender binary environment and education, even with extremely well-educated forward-thinking parents (that *may* explain all the LEGO sets I got for Christmas and birthdays, and I'm willing to bet I'd have gotten them all the same had I been born with different genitalia)… Even still, I did ask for one of those sets (mostly for the parts, admittedly), but I also assembled it and did play with it before dismantling and reconditioning it elsewhere in my setup, so… I also overcame part of my prejudice about “girly” colours (being a designer, I pretty much have to love and use all sorts of colours regardless of but also in accordance with their attached meanings, and depending on the clients' wishes and whims… I did use a lot of pink for the Portuguese Gynecologists Association and am terribly proud of my work, so there's that. :P ). I would still never wear pink (nor bright yellow, or any other light or garish colour, for that matter), but more on account of my lighter complexion and taste than anything else…