Steve Jobs didn’t want Apple to resemble Disney in this important detail, luckily

From their very origins, Apple and Disney have shared numerous similarities. Walt Disney and Steve Jobs, both pioneers in their respective fields, established strong corporate cultures that have guided their companies through the decades. A very interesting example of this synergy is the story of Pixar, which, after being rescued by Steve Jobs, eventually integrated into Disney, providing Jobs a place on the board of the iconic mouse company.

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Over the years, the collaboration between Apple and Disney has been evident, with numerous nods and mutual cooperative efforts. For example, Pixar’s building on the Disney campus is named after Steve Jobs, a tribute to his influence and legacy. However, despite the similarities, there is one aspect in which Steve Jobs did not want Apple to resemble Disney.

Innovation and leadership: maintaining the legacy without imitating it

Walt Disney and Steve Jobs understood from the beginning that the companies they were building needed to be imbued with strong guiding principles. At Apple, there’s often talk about the “company’s DNA,” referring to a set of values and guidelines that endure beyond the lives of the founders. This vision was crucial for Disney and Jobs, especially given the abrupt departure of both leaders, which left their companies in a very vulnerable state.

The most sudden departure was that of Walt Disney. His illness was kept a secret, and his death left an immediate void in the company’s leadership. This situation led the board of directors to frequently ask themselves, “what would Walt do?” when facing critical decisions. The uncertainty of how to proceed without its founder weighed down Disney for several years.

In contrast, when his declining health forced Steve Jobs to step down as Apple’s leader, he made sure the company wouldn’t fall into a similar trap. He urged Tim Cook, his successor, to lead in his own way and avoid asking “what would Steve do?” This advice was not only an act of trust in Cook’s ability to lead, but also a deliberate move to avoid the analysis paralysis that can occur when one is trying to imitate another.

The true legacy of Steve Jobs doesn’t lie so much in his methods or products, but in the ideas and values that have shaped the company and the team that develops Apple’s products and services. Under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple has grown and made bold decisions that Jobs may not have taken, though they essentially reflect his broad vision. Like Walt Disney in The Walt Disney Company, Steve Jobs somehow continues to influence the company, not through direct imitation, but as a constant inspiration, setting a direction.

All’s well that ends well

Speaking from the perspective that time gives, the truth is that both companies have evolved and surprised, thanks to the vision of their founders. Both companies have a very clear identity today, and the values that govern them are well known. Expressions like “Apple wouldn’t do this” or “This looks like it was designed by Disney” are common in certain types of conversation.

The premature departure of Walt is something that’s well documented in Disney’s history. It’s something that Steve Jobs saw in detail and that, when the time came, he knew how to avoid for the company he had founded. He trusted that the values he had instilled in Apple would be more than enough to allow someone else to apply his way of thinking and his priorities within the established framework.

A framework, it must be said, that Tim Cook has managed to expand, continue, enlarge, and define in more detail. Something that’s reflected in projects like the Apple Watch and subscription services like Apple TV+, which probably wouldn’t have been a priority in the Jobs era.

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In many ways, Apple and Disney seem like two sister companies: their importance in creativity, the way they face challenges, their evolution and adaptation to market changes, and the demands are extremely similar. Although both Disney and Jobs had to leave their work unfinished, it’s easy to see that fundamentally, they were able to shape the company’s ideas in a unique way.