When the sales guys run the company, the product guys don't matter so much, and a lot of them just turn off, Jobs said. Larry Page felt the same: The best leaders are those with the deepest understanding of the engineering and product design.34
Walter Isaacson's book "The Innovators" highlights a key idea voiced by Steve Jobs and Larry Page regarding leadership in technology firms. Jobs asserts that when sales teams dominate the company dynamics, the voices and contributions of product developers often become less significant, leading to disengagement among these vital personnel.
Page echoes this sentiment, stating that effective leaders need a profound comprehension of engineering and product design. This perspective emphasizes the importance of balancing sales and product development interests to foster innovation and ensure that both facets of a company thrive together.
