I thought the iPod and iPhone would do great. So did many others. As I'm sure is the guy who actually came up with the ideas that were present in the iPod, which may or may not have been Steve Jobs himself. My point is, he may have had the insight to design the iPod in its glorious form, or maybe he just recognized it in someone else's work (Apple engineers/designers/whatever), just as millions did when it went on sale. So who's the genius(es)?
There are many fine product designers and maker geniuses around the world. I'm not trying to say that it is a common gift.
But it is certainly more common than an inspired and/or visionary business managers. At least I have met many of the former type and maybe only one or two of the latter. And they will probably never get a chance to take a shot at making a story as Job's.
That he was a genius manager is even a bigger cred to me. Since keeping ones true self and inner voice intact in cacophony of minds, emotions and ambitions that is a multinational is a worthy feat of its own accord.
Hell, the biggest team I ever got a shot at running was 15 people big. And for myself the wide variety of emotions and motives experienced, was barely a taste of what it means to run an organization 10's of thousands people strong.
