What Is Tim Cook's (True) Secret Sauce?

If Steve Jobs was a visionary genius, Tim Cook is a quiet legend.

One with the numbers to prove it.

As Apple's market valuation hits a whopping $3 trillion, there are some voices which quietly wonder if Cook may end up being more impactful and even - gasp - better than Jobs.

That depends on your point of view, of course.

But what cannot be disputed is that as CEO, Cook has used a special set of skills to take Apple to new heights. He is not as bold, not as brash and (perhaps) not as beloved as his predecessor, but he has proven extremely effective. He may not have been the deft marketing engineer that Jobs was, but he certainly has his own 'special sauce.'

1. Saying 'no'

Jobs famously claimed that 'saying no' was the key to focus - and a big part of Apple's success. Tim Cook demonstrated the same ability, but in different ways.

When detractors (like Larry Ellison) doubted that he could keep Apple moving forward, he did not listen to them. When analysts and some shareholders griped about a lack of new, revolutionary products, he said 'no.'

Instead he focused on saying 'yes' to a more efficient supply chain, 'yes' to new revenue streams and a resounding 'yes' to maintaining top quality.



2. Focus on fundamentals

A strong focus on process and precision was borne out in the fundamental growth of Apple's business. While the company did not put a self-driving car on the road (yet) - it did stick to the basics of good business that allowed it to make tons of money.

New revenue streams (through services and media), incrementally higher prices for iPhones and iPads, more efficient tech under the hood of its computers - all of it may sound boring, but it was extremely effective.

3. Conscious (humble) continuity

Most of what comes out of Apple today still looks and feels like Jobs - the keynotes, the designs, the killer marketing tag-lines.

But this was also part of Tim Cook's secret sauce - build up, don't tear down.

A leader with a bigger ego might have been tempted to take over the reins at Apple and immediately seek to put his or her own stamp on things. But there were no mass executive changes, no radical new strategy, no fiery house-cleaning. Cook took things slowly and did it his way.

And that is no secret...