I was intrigued by the section of the lesson on leadership archetypes. Archetypes are basically strong patterns in the human psyche that are a part of our collective unconscious. Carl Jung has done extensive work in the psychodynamic field of psychology and has created an entire list of archetypes with descriptions (PSU W.C L3). After reading the description of the Warrior archetype, I immediately thought of Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs. Below are descriptions of the Warrior from the lesson followed by how Steve Jobs fits the archetype.
“The warrior embodies the goals of strength and effectiveness (PSU W.C. L3).”
I think we can all agree that Steve Jobs was effective– he revolutionized the world in many ways and his innovative ability and entrepreneurial success will be studied for years to come. Without him, there would be no iPods, iTunes, Mac computers, iPhones, or iPads. He could effectively envision products that people didn’t even realize they needed yet and find a way to create them. In doing so, he led the way of innovation in the tech industry and improved the lives of many people.
Steve Jobs was also a strong in the sense that he was extremely persistent, and continued to innovate despite battling with pancreatic cancer. He was able to face adversity time and time again and still come out on top.
“When faced with danger, the warrior attacks (PSU W.C. L3).”
Steve Jobs was ousted as the CEO of Apple in the mid 80’s. Instead of quitting, he came back stronger than anyone could have ever imagined. He began working on new computer software and eventually bought a division of LucasFilm later called Pixar. Apple ended up buying this new software called NeXT from Jobs and giving him a job back (Fortune, 2009). By 2000 he was the permanent CEO again with a whole new company philosophy that would make Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world. Leaders and entrepreneurs must attack and take risks in the face of danger, and Steve Jobs did exactly that.
“The warrior is competitive and goal-oriented (PSU W.C. L3).”
Steve Jobs set very ambitious goals and saw that they were met, even if he had to come off as a jerk to his employees in doing so some of the time.
In terms of competition, here are a couple of quotes (Daily Beat, 2011):
“The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste. I don’t mean that in a small way. I mean that in a big way, in the sense that they don’t think of original ideas and they don’t bring much culture into their products.” -Steve Jobs
“Nobody has tried to swallow us since I’ve been here. I think they are afraid how we would taste.”- Steve Jobs
Clearly this warrior had confidence and an and was not afraid to let his competitors know what he thought of their inferior products.
“The warrior imposes his/her will on others and gets them to change in order to accommodate his/her needs (PSU W.C. L3).”
Steve Jobs was known for being extremely demanding of his employees. Developers would often tell him that what he was asking of them was impossible, and he would simply tell them it was in fact possible and that it would be done on time. He would not take no for an answer. He only accepted what he envisioned as perfection, and that’s what he got most of the time.
“The warrior works for money (PSU W.C. L3).”
Clearly Jobs worked for money. Yes he was very creative and intrinsically motivated with his life’s work, but he was also an aggressive entrepreneur and businessman. He knew the value in his ideas and made it his mission to capitalize on that value.
In my opinion, Steve Jobs is a classic example of the Warrior archetype that has been around for centuries in literature and mythology. Do you think he fits better into another archetype? Perhaps he could be a combination of several archetypes. I’d like to hear what everyone else’s opinions are and other examples of archetypal leaders we see in our world today.
References:
Penn State World Campus (2013). PSYCH 485 Lesson 3: Introduction to leadership. Retrieved on Jan. 22, 2013, from
Fortune. (2009). 5 Things to Learn from Steve Jobs for Grade A Success. Minority Fortune — Encouraging the wealth building and management of young minorities. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://minorityfortune.com/do-what-they-do/5-things-to-learn-from-steve-jobs-for-grade-a-success/
Daily Beast. (2011). Steve Jobs Legacy: His Stanford University Address & More Great Quotes – The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/07/steve-jobs-legacy-his-stanford-university-address-more-great-quotes.html