The opposite of Jobs
I love Richard Branson. He's just seems like a happy, approachable guy. Plus, he does a lot for his charitable causes around the world. Lots to like. In any case, in a recent blog interview he compared his management style to that of the late Steve Jobs, who was decidedly less warm and fuzzy...
How he's different than Jobs:
I admired Steve Jobs, although he was completely different from me. He used to shout at employees that made mistakes. He did not delegate much, and broke all the rules I believe in. Somehow it worked for him. Apple is one the best brands in the world.[But] I think that criticising people is counter-productive. A good leader is someone who praises a person for his or her best efforts, not someone who criticises. People know when they make mistakes. Of course, sometimes I just can’t resist and end up saying something, but never more than once. The secret of success is finding good people.
And on the topic of delegation:
I devote most of my time to activities like The Elders [A South-African NGO], but I make it a point to take care of things that are important to Virgin, like hiring its key executives. I interviewed Josh Bayliss, the Group’s CEO, in the back seat of my car while waiting in a traffic jam that lasted almost two hours. Now, he makes money so I can spend it. Learning to delegate is vital in business. You have to be willing to let people do good things and let make them mistakes.
