Charles Coffin was born in Massachusetts in 1844. His journey took him from leading a company called Thomas-Houston to close work with the Thomas Edison subsidies, and eventually to the foundation of General Electric. Coffin was known for his manners: He was “a man born to command, yet who never issued orders.”
This is because, as Collins suggests, Coffin knew from the start he could be no Edison. He didn’t feel himself a genius entitled to special treatment; that status belonged to his predecessor, and instead he had the privilege of establishing a business system that would function for the long term. He “oversaw two social innovations of huge significance: America’s first research laboratory and the idea of systematic management development.” He built the machine that allowed for “a succession of giants... the stage on which they all played.”
Jobs is up to par for the first part of this challenge. Under his guidance Apple products have told consumers what had been missing in their lives, provided it, and beaten the ensuing competition. In a statement referring to a suit filed against Samsung, whom Apple claimed had duplicated its design, the organization said the following: “Before Apple’s introduction of the first iPhone product, no other company was offering a phone with these features.... None had the clean lines of the iPhone, which immediately caused it to stand apart from the competition.” Will Apple products continue to stand apart long after Jobs has left the scene? Has he built a platform at the company for generations of success? That won't be known for some time.
One could argue endlessly about where Jobs fits among these giants in business. What's clear is that he belongs in their league.
