12 THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP IS… JARGON-FREE
On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs took the stage at Macworld Conference & Expo or MCE. Though we didn't know it at the time, he was about to introduce a product that would change the world. Here's what he said:
Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. And, Apple has been…well, first of all, one is very fortunate if you get to work on just one of these in your career. Apple has been very fortunate it has been able to introduce a few of these in the world. In 1984 we introduced the Macintosh. We didn't just change Apple, we changed the whole computer industry. In 2001 we introduced the first iPod. It didn't just change the way we all listened to music. It changed the entire music industry.
Today, we're introducing three revolutionary products at this MCE. One is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. And the third is a breakthrough internet communications device.
So, three things. A widescreen iPod with touch ocntrols. A revolutionary mobile phone. And a breakthrough internet communications device.
An iPod. A phone. And an internet communicator.
An iPod. A phone…. Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices. This is one device, and we are calling it iPhone. Today…today Apple is going to reinvent the phone.1
The audience roared in excitement. The whole feel of the event – even when rewatching it on YouTube – was less of a tech presentation ...
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