Steve Wozniak was asked in an interview what he would have done differently if he had been Apple’s CEO instead of Jobs. He said he would have been “a lot nicer to people,” but then quickly added that they might never have released the Macintosh if he had been CEO.
Steve Jobs had a reputation for being ruthless and controlling, often described as rude and ill-tempered. His relentless pursuit of perfection and insistence on launching products before they were fully ready created significant stress within Apple. Often referred to as the OG "mean girl," many found working for him intolerable, which likely caused the company to miss out on considerable talent. Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, Jobs succeeded in building one of the world's most iconic brands and successful companies.
I’m not sure that level of “disagreeableness” is necessary for us mere mortals running small businesses vs. the enterprise builders like Jobs, but I do know this: FAR too many business owners tolerate FAR too much from too many people: employees, vendors, clients or otherwise!
One of the reasons so many people liked the character Tony Soprano from The Sopranos is that he embodied the backbone and confidence they secretly wished they had. Tony didn't take anything from anyone and was bold enough to take action against those who wronged him rather than just holding a grudge. His assertiveness and fearlessness resonated with viewers, making him an unforgettable character.
I'm not advocating for his level of corruption, anger, or aggressive responses as healthy or commendable. That's not my point. My point is that many people would greatly benefit if they had the courage to stand up for themselves. By not being swayed by critics and instead embracing the role of a confident, respected leader who speaks their mind and stands their ground, individuals can achieve much more in life.
This directly impacts on the security of your business. You will be taken advantage of if you shy away from standing up for yourself and fail to draw a HARD LINE to protect your organization. It's that straightforward. Many people out there have their own agendas and won't care about your well-being. Some will actively seek to harm you for their personal gain, especially cybercriminals. Their goal is to capitalize on YOUR hard work, steal YOUR profits, and infiltrate YOUR network to take YOUR data. This puts your livelihood and everything you've spent years building at risk.
As a business leader, you must adopt a Tony Soprano–level toughness. Have ZERO tolerance for threats: stay vigilant, identify potential enemies, and eliminate them before they cause irreversible damage. Moreover, safeguard your organization by implementing robust security measures to prevent malicious actors from infiltrating your network. The cold, hard truth is that you will be held accountable if a cybercrime occurs, even though YOU are the victim. Your reputation is at stake, and the media won't hesitate to spotlight your failure. Protecting your business is not just a priority—it's a necessity.
Business isn’t just about being tough on others—it’s also about innovation, growth, and leveraging industry leaders' best strategies and practices to drive your company forward. Protecting what you’ve built is crucial. Without the foresight to anticipate and address potential problems, everything can be jeopardized by a single wrong mouse click.
To stay ahead of cybercriminals and ensure your protection, schedule a 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our IT experts for a complimentary IT Risk Assessment. We will thoroughly analyze your network to identify vulnerabilities and provide a comprehensive plan to address them. This assessment will give you the peace of mind needed to focus on what you do best: growing YOUR business.
Click here to book your call now or give us a call at 541.243.4103.
