The two faces of Steve Jobs

The article highlights Steve Jobs as one of the greatest business storytellers, though he wasn’t always one. A famous quote from him in 1994 emphasizes the power of storytelling to shape vision, values, and generations. Early in his career, however, Jobs failed with the Lisa computer (1978). Despite advanced features, its high price and poor marketing doomed it. Jobs promoted it with an eight-page ad full of technical jargon, but the ad lacked a story, didn’t address the audience’s needs, and failed to make people imagine using the product. Apple sold far fewer units than needed.

The lesson: effective storytelling is not about listing features, but about connecting with people’s needs and emotions. Jobs became a great storyteller by choice, not by default.