When Steve Jobs handed the reins of Apple to Tim Cook in 2011, he left him with one simple directive: “Don’t ask what I would do. Just do the right thing.” Jobs cautioned Cook against the trap that consumed Disney’s leadership after Walt Disney’s death — becoming so fixated on what the founder would have done that they lost sight of the decisions actually in front of them.
For over a decade, that advice became Cook’s quiet compass.
A Principle That Shaped a Trillion-Dollar Era
Under Cook’s leadership, Apple’s valuation soared from roughly $350 billion to $4 trillion. Annual revenues climbed from $100 billion to a record $416 billion in fiscal year 2025. Cook expanded Apple’s universe with products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and built a thriving services ecosystem including Apple Music, Apple Pay, and Apple TV+.
Now, Cook is preparing to step down as CEO on September 1, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take the top role. Cook will move into an executive chairman position.
The Baton Is Passed Again
When asked what advice he would offer his successor, Cook told The Wall Street Journal he would echo Jobs almost word for word — urging Ternus to “do the right thing” and resist the urge to think like anyone who came before him. “You can get in paralysis if you start trying to port yourself into somebody else’s thinking,” Cook said.
His parting counsel was simple: stay true to the company’s values, keep your North Star in view, and be yourself. The rest, Cook believes, will follow.