I'd been very influenced by what I'd seen in Japan. Part of what I greatly admired there - and part of what we were lacking in our factory - was as sense of teamwork and discipline. If we didn't have the discipline to keep that place spotless, then we weren't going to have the discipline to keep all those machines running.
In Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, he reflects on the profound impact Japan had on his approach to business and teamwork. Jobs admired the culture of teamwork and the level of discipline he observed in Japanese industries, which he believed were essential for success. He recognized that such values were missing in his own factory environment, emphasizing the importance of fostering a strong collaborative spirit among employees.
Jobs noted that maintaining a clean and organized workspace was directly linked to the operational effectiveness of machinery in the factory. He believed that without the discipline to uphold cleanliness and order, they would struggle to ensure that their equipment operated efficiently. This insight highlights how Jobs connected discipline and teamwork to overall productivity and success.
