Story

EVERYTHING is a story. It’s up to you to LEAD the story for the organization, for your team, and for your prospects.

Story

Steve Jobs Close

The Steve Jobs Close is about closing at the highest level. Understanding this ‘close’ begins with a (likely embellished) story about Steve Jobs.

In 1984, Apple was looking to hire new CEO. The company was growing beyond the reaches of the young Steve Jobs. The board wanted some seasoned leadership for the journey ahead and they set their sites on PepsiCo VP John Scully. As the legend goes, the board spent two days talking with Scully about compensation, market segments, business plans, products, etc. At the end of two full days, Scully said, “thanks but no thanks” and turned down the offer.

Jobs, still looking out for the best interest of his ‘baby’, is befuddled at the board’s inability to close the deal. As the story goes, Jobs said, “Let me have a crack it it…”  and flew out to meet Scully. They went for a walk and Jobs asked Scully to share his thoughts. Jobs spent the duration of the walk just listening to Scully talk and when finished, Jobs turned to him and asked one simple question, “‘Do you want to sell sugar water to kids your whole life or do you want to change the world?”

Scully go it. He took job. He was CLOSED.

How it works:

The Steve Jobs Close is about closing at the highest level. As a For Impact organization, you are saving lives, changing lives or impacting lives. There are times when you just have to look someone in the eye and say, “Let me ask you one question, ‘Are you willing to help us change the world?’”

The board was mulling around with strategy and tactics, but the problem was that people don’t BUY strategy. They BUY vision! They BUY purpose!

As Zig Ziglar says, “People buy on emotion and justify on logic.” Don’t lose sight of this.