When Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone in 2007, it was a groundbreaking event that changed technology forever.
During the amazing demonstration of what would become one of the most significant products of our time, there was a small but important moment that showed why Jobs was such an incredible leader.
The late co-founder of Apple had many traits that you would expect from a great inventor or businessman. He was intense and known for being a perfectionist, and sometimes he could be pretty tough in his management style.
But one important quality that Steve Jobs really showed during the original iPhone’s presentation was his sense of humor.
Steve Jobs during a presentation (Getty Images)
During the demonstration, Jobs thought it would be funny to prank-call Starbucks. He used the iPhone’s Google Maps feature to find a nearby coffee shop, got the phone number, and called them up.
When someone from Starbucks picked up, Jobs said, “Hi, I’d like to order 4,000 lattes to go, please.” There was a short silence before he quickly added, “Just kidding, wrong number,” and then he hung up.
This all happened in front of thousands of people who were there to see the first iPhone demo, and Steve Jobs had just pulled off a prank call to a local Starbucks.
This might look like just a silly joke in a serious tech presentation, but it was actually a great example of leadership. It revealed a side of Steve Jobs that isn’t talked about much—his talent for using humor and spontaneity to connect with others.
Ken Kocienda, who created the original iPhone keyboard, shared another story about Jobs in his book, Creative Selection. He described what happened during the rehearsals for the iPhone launch, especially after Jobs discussed Apple’s retail stores.
Kocienda wrote, “Instead, Steve said, ‘Actually, here’s what I have to say to those people who said our stores would most certainly fail,’ and he clicked to a newly inserted slide. He delivered it perfectly, and his punch line was a hit.”
“After a moment of shocked silence, the room burst into laughter. Steve had to pause for a bit while everyone calmed down. It’s well known that Steve could be intense, but he also had a real sense of humor,” he added.
The slide he showed was just a picture of someone holding a cup of coffee with a caption that read, “How about a nice big cup of shut the f**k up?”
Steve Jobs laughing during the iPhone’s reveal (Getty Images)
When things get really intense and you can feel the pressure, humor can help lighten the mood. It reminds everyone that even the big names, like creators and leaders, are just regular people too.
Now, that doesn’t mean today’s leaders should be cracking jokes all the time, but Steve Jobs showed us that a little bit of humor can make the heavy responsibilities of leadership feel a bit lighter.
Steve Jobs understood that being able to relax and have fun at the right moments can really show what a strong leader you are.
Featured Image Credit: Kimberly White / Contributor / Getty