What set Steve Jobs apart from most leaders? Apple CEO Tim Cook shares 2 key reasons

Tim Cook spoke about Steve Jobs in a recent interview.

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s reflections on his time with Steve Jobs reveal a powerful leadership lesson: the ability to change one's mind is not just a skill but a vital asset. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Cook described his tenure under the late Apple co-founder as transformative, asserting that Jobs was “the teacher of a lifetime” who instilled in him the courage to embrace change.

Cook’s decision to leave a stable position at Compaq for a role at Apple in 1998 was not without its skeptics.

“I thought I had a chance of a lifetime to work with a genius that started the entire industry,” Cook recounted. Among the many lessons he learned, one stood out: “Not to be married to my past views,” he noted. This approach, he explained, allowed him to remain flexible and open to new evidence—an ability he labelled as “a brilliant skill.”

Cook’s tribute to Jobs also highlighted the latter's passion for debate, an environment that fostered mutual growth.

“He loved to debate and he loved [having] someone to debate him,” Cook shared adding that Jobs was very open on changing his mind if the person opposite had the best idea.

“We changed each other’s minds. That’s the reason it worked so well,” Cook concluded, reinforcing the notion that adaptability and openness to new ideas are cornerstones of effective leadership.

Tim Cook is the current CEO of Apple Inc., having succeeded Steve Jobs after his death in 2011. Cook first joined Apple in 1998 as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations and played a critical role in streamlining the company’s supply chain.

Cook has steered Apple through its most profitable years, expanding its product lineup and services. Jobs is the visionary mind behind products like the iPhone, iPod, and Mac.