It’s no accident that for the fourth consecutive year, Apple was ranked as Fortune’s most admired company. Under the leadership of the iconic CEO Steve Jobs, Apple has re-invented the way we live, work and communicate. The man who wanted to ‘make a ding in the universe’ has always handled himself with quintessential class and has led his company with the utmost integrity. Apple does little consumer research, but they always know what we want; just amazing products. “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me….. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful…. that’s what matters to me.” He never did it for the money.
Northwestern professor Daniel Diermeier, Ph.D.’s groundbreaking work, “Reputation Rules: Strategies for Building Your Company’s Most valuable Asset” uncovers insights revealing that most companies “have shockingly underdeveloped capabilities to manage their reputations effectively.” One can never say that about Apple; when they make a mistake; they immediately acknowledge it and get on with improving it. Reputation is no longer lip service, it’s a capability that should be on top of every CEO’s agenda.
“When it comes to reputation, many companies face a mismatch between assets and capabilities. Reputation is widely considered a core asset, and its protection is near the top of the CEO’s agenda. yet most companies have woefully inadequate reputation management strategies and processes. The result is one reputational crisis after another.”