Steve Jobs’ Timeless Advice on High Performance: Empowering Self-Managing Employees

Feature and Cover Steve Jobs’ Timeless Advice on High Performance Empowering Self Managing Employees

In a 1985 interview, Steve Jobs shared an insightful approach to hiring and managing employees, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with highly capable, creative, and intelligent individuals. His perspective on hiring has since become a cornerstone for leaders aiming to build effective teams. However, Jobs offered more than advice on recruiting the right talent; he provided a leadership lesson that remains underappreciated to this day.

Once these exceptional individuals join the team, empowering them through a rare but simple management strategy can transform their potential into high performance. Jobs captured the essence of this strategy when he said:

“The greatest people are self-managing; they don’t need to be managed.”

The Connection Between Self-Management and High Performance

Jobs’ assertion is bold yet crucial for fostering innovation and results. He firmly believed in assembling a team of self-motivated individuals capable of taking initiative, solving problems independently, and achieving outcomes without constant supervision.

For leaders and small business founders, this concept is particularly relevant. Many dream of hiring team members who intuitively understand their roles, take ownership of their responsibilities, and execute tasks without requiring frequent guidance. While it may seem challenging to create such a team, it is achievable by rethinking leadership and embracing self-management as a cultural norm.

Let’s explore why supporting a self-managing workforce can benefit your organization and how this approach can be implemented effectively.

The Benefits of Self-Managing Teams

  1. Boosting Innovation and Agility

Empowering employees with autonomy encourages creativity and swift decision-making. Self-managing employees thrive in environments where they are trusted to act on their instincts, which can be a significant advantage in fast-paced industries. By stepping back, leaders allow these high performers to experiment, solve problems, and innovate.

Jobs famously articulated this principle:

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”

This approach fosters an environment where employees feel confident taking bold actions and pursuing big ideas, ultimately driving the organization forward. Research supports this, indicating that autonomy enhances problem-solving and innovation.

  1. Freeing Up Managers for Strategic Work

Micromanagement often drains time and energy, leaving managers preoccupied with minor details rather than strategic objectives. In contrast, self-managing employees handle day-to-day execution, freeing leaders to focus on long-term goals and organizational vision.

Managers who resist the urge to control every aspect of their team’s work empower employees to take ownership. This shift benefits both parties: managers can dedicate their efforts to “why” and “what’s next,” while employees develop confidence and competence in handling the “how.”

  1. Enhancing Employee Engagement and Retention

Trusting employees to manage their own work significantly impacts engagement. In one instance, an executive reviewed their company’s engagement scores, which were alarmingly low. The survey revealed that a lack of managerial trust in employees was a key factor.

Autonomy is a critical driver of engagement. When employees feel trusted, they are more motivated and invested in their work. This sense of ownership fosters loyalty and reduces turnover. As Jobs’ philosophy suggests, companies that value and empower their employees see stronger commitment, higher performance, and lower attrition rates.

Building a Self-Managing Culture

Creating a self-managing team requires intentionality. Leaders must shift their focus from control to trust, setting clear expectations and providing employees with the tools and support they need to succeed. By fostering an environment where employees feel empowered, businesses can unlock their teams’ full potential, much like Jobs did at Apple.

The key takeaway from Jobs’ timeless advice is that great leaders don’t simply manage talent—they trust it, nurture it, and allow it to flourish.

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