Tim Cook reveals Steve Jobs's advice before handing over reins as Apple CEO: ‘Never ask...'

Tim Cook joined Apple in 1998, later becoming chief operating officer in 2005, working closely with Jobs until his death in October 2011. Now, he is leading a company valued at over $3 trillion.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed the advice he received from late co‑founder Steve Jobs before formally taking over the top role — a directive that, he said, shaped how the company’s leadership transition was handled and how he approached the job.

Speaking in a recent interview, Cook said Jobs told him: “Never ask what I would do. Just do the right thing.”

‘He didn’t want Apple to freeze’

Cook said Jobs had seen companies struggle after the exit of a legendary founder, particularly at Disney following the death of Walt Disney, where leadership routinely stalled over debates about what the founder would have done, Fortune reported.

“He had watched Disney go through this paralysis of sitting around talking about what Walt would do,” Cook said, explaining that Jobs was keen to prevent Apple from falling into the same trap.

Jobs, who resigned as Apple’s CEO in 2011 due to deteriorating health, reportedly wanted to ensure that Cook would not feel pressured to replicate his leadership style or decision‑making instincts.

A rare ‘professional transition’

Cook said Apple had never experienced a truly “professional transition” at the CEO level before his appointment. Previous leadership changes, he noted, happened during periods of crisis, often marked by uncertainty.

This time, Jobs deliberately chose a more structured handover. Cook recalled being called to Jobs’s house, where he was offered the CEO role with clear instructions not to govern Apple by second‑guessing its founder.

Cook described the advice as a “gift,” saying it lifted the burden of constantly asking, “What would Steve do?”

“I just put my head down and thought, ‘I’m going to be the best version of myself,’” he said.

Cook joined Apple in 1998, later becoming chief operating officer in 2005, working closely with Jobs until his death in October 2011. Now leading a company valued at over $3 trillion, Cook said the decision to lead in his own way — rather than in Jobs’s shadow — has been key to Apple’s success.