Ben Thompson wrote an article[1] about this problem in 2015 after Ive just got "promoted". From the article: In my estimation, whether Ive intends it or not —

Ben Thompson wrote an article[1] about this problem in 2015 after Ive just got "promoted". From the article: In my estimation, whether Ive intends it or not — and I think he likely does, for what it’s worth — this is the beginning of the end of his time at Apple. To give up “management” in exchange for “thinking freely” is, when it comes to business, akin to shifting from product-focused R&D to exploratory R&D. Steve Jobs was very clear on the consequences of that approach: "One of the things I’ve always found is that you’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can’t start with the technology and try to figure out where you’re going to try to sell it. And I’ve made this mistake probably more than anybody else in this room. And I got the scar tissue to prove it." I found this quote/clip in this excellent Gruber piece, Working Backwards to the Technology; the analogy I’m trying to draw is that just as the best way to ensure that great technologies make it to market is to start with the product and work backwards, inventing along the way, the best way to lead an organization’s design direction is to lead the organization, and that means managing. And that is what Ive is giving up. [1]: "Jony Ive “Promoted”, The Implications of Not Managing, What About Apple?" https://stratechery.com/2015/jony-ive-promoted-the-implications-of-not-managing-what-about-apple/ https://stratechery.com/2015/jony-ive-promoted-the-implicati...