Steve Jobs PSY 401 Kara England Jen Beckner Zac Keith

Background of Success Started Apple out of his parents garage at age 20 Within 10 years, had a company worth $2 billion Now one of the most important technology contributors

What makes him an outlier? Revolutionized computer industry Took what existed, made it cheaper, smaller, more convenient, first computer accessible to everyone ● Entrepreneurship, CEO Abilities

Opportunity & Advantage Right Place: Mountain View, CA, later known as Silicon Valley Right Time: Mid 1970s was a change in public perception of Computers Right Age during this time: Early 20s (Born in 1955) Part of the right group of people: Computer Innovator Culture “Jobs came of age breathing the air of the very business he would later dominate.” --Malcolm Gladwell

Disadvantage & Lack of Opportunity ● Adopted by uneducated working-class parents ● Dropped out of College ● Homeless ● No school, no money.

Disadvantages became Opportunity ● Adopted parents were poor, but lived in Silicon Valley ● Didn’t have the pressure to pursue academic world ● Took time to find himself ● Zen Practices, learned focus Jobs says that dropping out of college and pursuing his intuition was one of the “best decisions he ever made”

“He didn’t triumph over adversity. Instead, what ended up as adversity ended up being an opportunity” -Malcolm Gladwell Disadvantages became Opportunity

More Practical Intelligence than Academic Intelligence Became famous because of marketing abilities & innovative ideas, not initial computer technology Good at understanding and interacting with people Knew how to manipulate others to negotiate and get what he wanted- convinced his parents to let him switch schools

Practical Intelligence “It is practical in nature: that is, it’s not knowledge for its own sake. It’s knowledge that helps you read situations correctly and get what you want” -Malcolm Gladwell

Steve Wozniak Steve Wozniak did all of the work- built the computer. Had academic intelligence. Steve Jobs gets the credit because he could demonstrate it to the public (practical Intelligence)

Talent & Skill ● Computer ability equal to many others o learned his skills from more advanced people ●But was skilled in his ability to market it ○ communication, decision-making, leadership

Conclusion- So what made Jobs an outlier? Jobs is an outlier because of his acquired skills and talents (practical intelligence, concerted cultivation) in Entrepreneurship But also because of opportunities & advantages (place, time, etc.) and perceived disadvantages that ended up serving him.

Sources Fell, Jason. "Steve Jobs: An Extraordinary Career." Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, 08 Oct Web. 05 Mar Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: BAck Bay Books, Print. “Steve Jobs.” Bio. A&E Television Networks, Web. 01 Apr “Steve Jobs Biography.” Biography Online. Biography Online, n.d. Web. 20 Mar