Journal of Applied Christian Leadership Volume 6 | Number 1 Article 11 2012 Steve Jobs [review] / Isaacson, Walter Shawn Collins Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jacl Part of the Leadership Studies Commons Recommended Citation Collins, Shawn (2012) "Steve Jobs [review] / Isaacson, Walter," Journal of Applied Christian Leadership: Vol. 6: No. 1, 93-94. Available at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jacl/vol6/iss1/11 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Applied Christian Leadership by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Collins: Steve Jobs [review] / Isaacson, Walter BOOK REVIEW SHAWN COLLINS STEVE JOBS along by starting with Jobs’ early life and the things that shaped his early By Walter Isaacson childhood. As Jobs’ career progress- New York, NY: Simon and Schuster es, so do the pages. Interspersed are (2011) chapters about Jobs as a human. Hardcover, 656 pages Intersecting creativity and technol- ogy, and getting others to understand Reviewed by SHAWN COLLINS that vision, required a special indi- vidual. It took someone inspiring. The title of this 656-page biogra- Steve Jobs took inspiration to a new phy is simple and yet conjures up a level. He inspired people to accom- wide array of images depending on plish things and meet deadlines the person reading it: Steve Jobs. As nobody thought were possible. He a household name, Steve Jobs the somehow seemed to know what was person, the legend, means different possible. He then pushed people to things to different people. He is well make possible what, in their minds known as the successful leader of own minds, was impossible. His Apple, Inc. But his style of leadership employees referred to this as his is the area of contention between “reality distortion field.” those who ardently follow his success How does one learn from and those who, while not denying his Isaacson’s description of Steve Jobs? success, point out his failures. Jobs was hugely successful in his life, The book is based on revealing but had some bumps in the road. He interviews Walter Isaacson conduct- was ousted from the very company ed over a two-year period with Steve he founded. But here is one of the Jobs and those who knew and take-home lessons from Isaacson’s worked with him. In a sense, book: learn from your mistakes. Isaacson used the “Rashomon effect” When Jobs returned from exile to to bring together the recollections of Apple he had learned from his mis- different observers to produce differ- takes. Then there is the value of ent but equally plausible accounts inspiration. Jobs knew how to inspire of Jobs. Isaacson describes Jobs as a his employees through his “reality complex man who disdained material distortion field.” But he had difficul- objects, yet made objects people ties dealing with those who did not desired through the company he see things his way. There was a started and was dedicated to, dichotomy in Jobs’ leadership style: Apple, Inc. In fact, if one word could he was a brilliant innovator, bringing describe him, it would be “innova- people and products together, but tive.” Matching innovation with lead- sometimes in unconventional and ership is a key to success, but some- sometimes controversial ways. times Jobs seemed to disdain the Can Christian leaders learn from business aspect. It was something he Jobs’ example? Jobs lived with the had to do in order to do what he truly reality of his dying, which drove him loved—innovate. to reflect on his life and seek to clari- Steve Jobs was dying, and he knew fy his legacy. Christian leaders will it. Jobs asked Walter Isaacson on sev- probably be pained to learn of Jobs’ eral occasions to write his biogra- tortured search for enlightenment. phy—he wanted people to know the Yet his experience points to a key real Steve Jobs and understand what leadership question: “What is our his legacy was. The book moves legacy? How do I want to be remem- THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PAGE 93 Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews University, 2012 1 Journal of Applied Christian Leadership, Vol. 6 [2012], No. 1, Art. 11 BOOK REVIEW DUANE M. COVRIG bered as a leader? Is the vision I reader-friendly source. It has case inspire worth giving my best to? studies, illustrations from films and Isaacson in the end presents a one-of- popular culture, and succinct reviews a-kind man, a transformational and of the best in scholarship and research charismatic leader who inspired while on ethics in organizations. I consider struggling with his own shadows. it the single best resource for anyone Jobs had “a premonition that he wanting to improve their understand- would not live a long life” and “felt a ing and practice of ethics. It is espe- sense of urgency about all he wanted cially focused on professional life in to get done” (p. 262). Steve Jobs’ last organizations and leadership, but also words were reportedly “oh wow, oh has insight for some personal ethics. wow, oh wow.” We’ll never know to I have used previous editions of what he was referring. Walter this text since 1999 in teaching Isaacson gives us a rich glimpse of appropriate professional ethics and this complex personality, his intrigu- moral leadership to teachers and ing thought processes, and the con- educational leaders; more recently troversial leadership style of one of I have seen it useful for my students the most influential leaders of our in business and health care. time. While Christian leaders may The author, Craig Johnson, is a have difficulties dealing with some of professor and administrator at Jobs’ biases against organized reli- George Fox University, a Christian gion, they will find this book helpful university in Oregon that has Quaker in reading some of the currents that roots. The Quaker influence is evi- have shaped our generation. dent in his use of Parker Palmer and the focus on peace and global justice. SHAWN COLLINS, Ph.D., is the Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program and Associate Director of the Beyond that, however, the use of School of Nursing at Western Carolina University in Christian theology and ideas is limit- Asheville, North Carolina. ed and more peripheral. Instead, he dives into and uses scholarship and MEETING THE ETHICAL research from business, philosophy CHALLENGES OF and the social sciences. This fact makes the book useful for Christian LEADERSHIP: CASTING leaders who may have read biblical LIGHT OR SHADOW and theological ethics but have not explored other areas of ethics. By Craig E. Johnson While Johnson draws a lot from Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (2012), his first chosen area of research, 4th edition communication, he is also very effec- Paperback, 536 pages tive at reviewing research on morality in group processes and organization- Reviewed by DUANE M. COVRIG al dynamics and in bringing these implications to an understanding Now in its fourth edition, Meeting of moral leadership. the Ethical Challenges of Leadership Each chapter has some activities has become one of the best-selling and useful reflection and application ethical leadership texts used in sections. Practicing administrators colleges and universities today. will appreciate Johnson’s brevity and It blends together an overview of ability to move past philosophical ethics, ethical decision-making, moral hair-splitting in applying ethical prin- leadership processes, and group and ciples to real contemporary issues. organizational dynamics into one PAGE 94 Vol. 6, No. 1 SPRING 2012 https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jacl/vol6/iss1/11 2.