Ron Johnson, the former senior vice president of retail at Apple, shared insights from his 11-year collaboration with Steve Jobs during the launch of his new book, 'Crave: How Retail Reveals the Genius of Apple.' Johnson, who joined Apple in 2000, was tasked with building the company's retail network from the ground up.
Johnson highlighted that Jobs' core management philosophy was 'don't be in a hurry.' According to Johnson, this principle was central to Apple's product strategy, noting that the company waited six years between the launch of the iPod in 2001 and the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 to ensure the former was perfected.
Reflecting on Jobs' work habits, Johnson noted that the Apple co-founder maintained extreme focus, often working without a mobile phone and demonstrating an ability to recall detailed discussions from previous meetings. This approach influenced how Johnson managed the development of Apple Stores despite skepticism regarding the future of physical retail.
After leaving Apple, Johnson served as the CEO of JCPenney. He stated that he continued to apply the 'don't be in a hurry' lesson throughout his career, emphasizing that bold visions require time to manifest and cannot be forced or rushed.
