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When being a leader in an organization it can come in many ways. Someone can be the leader of an organization, a team, or you can even lead an individual. For Module 7, I learned what comes with being a leader. After seeing this email, I felt that it was completely relevant to what we have even learned throughout all modules.

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Giving employees the options of having financial incentives means that they will work harder at their jobs and by doing so they have the potential to be rewarded. On top of being motivated in their job, employees have the opportunity to have social relationships with fellow coworkers. On top of these things, employees are able to get satisfaction out of excelling in their current position. This image shows what surrounds being motivated at work and what rewards come with it.

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In Module 7, we learned about the importance of making decisions as a manager and how these decisions could eventually impact their employees. When it comes to making a decision, a manager should first start out by identifying the problem the decision is to resolve. When going to make this decision the manager should always communicate with their employees prior to following through with the decision. When managers don't communicate with their employees, the employees stop trusting their managers.

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Managerial decision-making involves a systematic thought process.

man thinking image by forca from Fotolia.com

Small business owners and managers make decisions on a daily basis, addressing everything from day-to-day operational issues to long-range strategic planning. The decision-making process of a manager can be broken down into six distinct steps. Although each step can be examined at length, managers often run through all of the steps quickly when making decisions. Understanding the process of managerial decision-making can improve your decision-making effectiveness.

Identify Problems

The first step in the process is to recognize that there is a decision to be made. Decisions are not made arbitrarily; they result from an attempt to address a specific problem, need or opportunity.

A supervisor in a retail shop may realize that he has too many employees on the floor compared with the day's current sales volume, for example, requiring him to make a decision to keep costs under control.

Seek Information

Managers seek out a range of information to clarify their options once they have identified an issue that requires a decision. Managers may seek to determine potential causes of a problem, the people and processes involved in the issue and any constraints placed on the decision-making process.

Brainstorm Solutions

Having a more complete understanding of the issue at hand, managers move on to make a list of potential solutions. This step can involve anything from a few seconds of though to a few months or more of formal collaborative planning, depending on the nature of the decision.

Choose an Alternative

Managers weigh the pros and cons of each potential solution, seek additional information if needed and select the option they feel has the best chance of success at the least cost. Consider seeking outside advice if you have gone through all the previous steps on your own; asking for a second opinion can provide a new perspective on the problem and your potential solutions.

Implement the Plan

There is no time to second guess yourself when you put your decision into action. Once you have committed to putting a specific solution in place, get all of your employees on board and put the decision into action with conviction. That is not to say that a managerial decision cannot change after it has been enacted; savvy managers put monitoring systems in place to evaluate the outcomes of their decisions.

Evaluate Outcomes

Even the most experienced business owners can learn from their mistakes. Always monitor the results of strategic decisions you make as a small business owner; be ready to adapt your plan as necessary, or to switch to another potential solution if your chosen solution does not work out the way you expected.

About the Author

David Ingram has written for multiple publications since 2009, including "The Houston Chronicle" and online at Business.com. As a small-business owner, Ingram regularly confronts modern issues in management, marketing, finance and business law. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in management from Walsh University.

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What Are the Steps in the Decision-Making Process of a Manager?

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Small business owners and managers make decisions on a daily basis, addressing everything from day-to-day operational issues to long-range strategic planning. The decision-making process of a manager can be broken down into six distinct steps. Although each step can be examined at length, managers often run through all of the steps quickly when making decisions.

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Meg Whitman the current CEO of this company told them when she started that she would only stay with the company for 5 years to complete the work that needed to be done. Unfortunately she is now working on her 7th year as CEO of the company because she feels that there is a lot for her to do before she leaves, even though rumor has it that she is looking for a way out as soon as possible. As mentioned in previous modules, women are taking a stand for themselves and we are starting to see them in executive positions leading companies toward their success. That is exactly what Meg Whitman is doing for HP.

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Meg Whitman told the Hewlett-Packard board she would be the company's CEO for five years. Now coming up on her sixth year in the role, Whitman believes there's still plenty more to do, even though some believe she's looking for a way out.

"I originally told the board I would stay five years; it's been six in September," Whitman told The Wall Street Journal last month. "What I would tell you is that there's more work to be done here."

Whitman echoed that sentiment on Tuesday in a Bloomberg interview after the company - now Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. after splitting off its HP Inc. PC and printer division as a separate company in 2015 - reported stronger-than-projected third-quarter sales on demand for servers and storage gear. Revenue was up 2.5 percent to $8.2 billion, the first time in five quarters the Palo Alto-based company beat analysts' sales estimates.

But does Whitman have a wandering eye? Are HPE's upcoming obstacles enough to entice her to stay? Here are three big challenges for Whitman going forward.

1. Growth via acquisitions
HPE spun out into a standalone company in 2015 and almost immediately went on an acquisition spree, buying six companies in 18 months. The company acquired Cloud Technology Partners earlier this week, marking its fifth acquisition of the year.

Whitman recently said the company is still on the hunt.

"I think you will see acquisitions become a bigger part of our strategy," Whitman told Bloomberg in a June interview. She went on to say that she sees three paths forward for growth: acquisitions, investments in young companies, and internal engineering innovation on core products.

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3 big challenges for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. CEO Meg Whitman going forward - Bizwomen

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Meg Whitman told the Hewlett-Packard board she would be the company's CEO for five years. Now coming upon her sixth year in the role, Whitman believes there's still plenty more to do, even though some believe she's looking for a way out.

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Emotional intelligence comes with self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. After finding this diagram, it made me feel as if it was relevant to what we learned in Module 6 regarding the importance of containing emotional intelligence in the workplace.

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Emotional intelligence is more important in the workplace now than it ever has been. To connect with coworkers, customers, or even suppliers you have to be able to emotionally understand where they are coming from in certain situations. It's important to read people's emotions to understand how they feel about certain things and to be understanding to these feelings.

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We learn a lot from our clients. Their insights and experiences are our primary lifeline to what is happening at every level in today's workplace.

And too often, what we hear isn't pretty.

Overworked, overburdened, stressed, exhausted, cynical, pessimistic, untrusting, disengaged, resentful, frustrated, fearful and angry are common descriptions too many people give us.

Since we began integrating Emotional Intelligence (EI) into our organizational consulting in the late '90's, we've watched it slowly grow to become a more accepted "best practice" in some business settings. Many leaders and HR professionals have come to understand and inform their organizations that all intelligence is not cognitive. Slowly but surely, more organizational leaders are seeking out EI training, coaching and interventions for their employees.
Why is that?
Countless surveys show trust and engagement at all time lows. Reports of bullying and escalated conflict (taking many different shapes and forms) are on the increase.

At a time when creativity, innovation and sustained engagement are urgently needed to restore and fuel new business, organizations cannot afford for their employees to be carrying so much emotional baggage. More than ever, employees need the tools to navigate interpersonal differences, manage change effectively and build strong relationships.
How Can EI Help?
While there are no magic formulas, increasing EI awareness - for people and organizations (yes, workplace cultures can be EI rich or deficient) can significantly contribute to healthier workplace environments. In our work, we are always hearing reports of how enhanced EI skills support personal and organizational efforts.

Let's take the example of Jim, a manager in a Midwest manufacturing plant. In his workplace conflicts have been the norm for a long time, but have gotten steadily worse. Jim reports that his company has tried everything to reduce arguments, lower turnover and absenteeism and implement changes.
"Initially, we never entertained the idea of Emotional Intelligence. I guess we thought of it as some California "love-in" kind of thing. When we heard about training people to develop their empathy competencies we thought it sounded like a real waste of time."
Now that his employees have developed and are using their emotional intelligence skills, Jim's perception about EI has completely shifted.
"We looked under every rock, used all the right language and people still couldn't deal with differences, their own issues and handling changes. Now we are starting to experience what respectful communication and collaborative thinking can do to turn those negative numbers around." What the Heck are EI Competencies Anyway?
There is no universal definition of EI. So let's begin with our favorite "definition." It's based on the work of Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf, authors of the book, Executive EQ.
"Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source for connection, collaboration, influence and inspiration."
This rich description captures the potential of using strong EI skills as a sustainable resource for self-motivation and healthy relationship management. Nearly everyone has the potential to build their capacity by developing the competencies identified as fundamental to the skillful use of emotional intelligence.

With some variation, most EI developers use the following competency clusters to organize skills.

The first two are considered to be intrapersonal skill sets.

Self- Awareness - Our success and accomplishments in the workplace rely on our ability to be aware of ourselves and our impact on our environment.
What's that mean?
First and foremost, what do we know about our mindsets - how we think, feel and act? Until we develop the skills of self-awareness - conscious thought, feeling and action - we often operate reactively, in auto-pilot mode. Unless we have a strong awareness of our intrapersonal process - we tend to look everywhere except inside for motivation, problem-solving and to meet our needs.
Self-Awareness is the "mother-ship" of EI competencies - the foundation on which all other skills sit.
- This critical competency addresses how we manage our internal processes. Everyone gets emotionally triggered, especially in the workplace. The question is how solid are our skills to honestly and clearly identify what we feel - and then to make a choice about how we are going to handle those feelings.

Without strong self-management skills we're often looking for something or someone else as the cause and remedy for our experience.

Poor self-management skills drain personal and organizational resources. Managers spend as much as a third of their time managing conflicts and dealing (often indirectly) with employees who lack skill in these competencies.

The second cluster of EI competencies centers on our relationship abilities:

Arguably, relationship building and the ability to collaborate effectively are among the most important skills for the 21 st century workplace. Some of us are naturally gifted in this area - but for most of us - it takes a great deal of "work" to maximize our people skills.

Social Intelligence - We'd single out two areas that we believe are the cornerstones of this competency - the ability to respond to others empathically - and the ability to develop trust in relationships. Both of these are worthy of multiple posts in themselves!

Although often misunderstood, empathy is not sympathy, coddling, indulgence, condoning, pampering, overlooking or conceding towards others. It is simply our ability to relate to others with care and consideration, even when we don't like them or disagree with their views or actions. Empathy is natural to us all, unless those channels have been shut down in some way. Consciously acting empathically requires that we be as in touch with our emotional brain as with our "rational" brain.

Trust, in seriously short supply these days, is the glue that binds relationships. Can we really be effective in our work without it? We certainly don't think so.

Trust is a personal and idiosyncratic experience. It stems from our values, beliefs and the experiences that have been shaped by them. The more that we know and understand about how trust works for us - and for others - the better. Without that knowledge, we largely act from past experience (not always an accurate barometer) or from unchecked assumptions and expectations.

Relationship Management - Clearly this competency is built on all the others. How capable and flexible are you in relating to others to maximize your personal and organizational goals? That's the challenge.

There is no question that people bring all kinds of emotional issues to the workplace. One reason (and there are too many to list in this post) is because most organizations don't hire for EI competencies. As a society, we are not at the point (yet) where we have fully realized the value of social and emotional skills to accomplish work more effectively.

The three skills we want to highlight within this competency group are:

Regardless of the professional or organizational goals - EVERYONE benefits from expanding their EI competency.

Better listening elicits greater understanding and rapport. Assertive vs. aggressive communication strengthens leadership and influence while respecting the boundaries of co-workers and colleagues. In workplaces burdened with unresolved conflict or conflict-averse climates, good conflict management skills contribute to creating "cultures of permission" where people can speak honestly and respectfully about their differences and disagreements - freeing up creativity in the process.

In the "new economy" organizational leaders must find new ways to increase engagement, retain talent and create climates where trust and resiliency are optimized. More satisfying emotional experiences and workplace relationships are a key to that future.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment, subscribe, share, like and tweet this article. It's appreciated. Louise Altman, Partner, Intentional Communication Consultants Join our mailing list and receive our monthly newsletter and occasional mailings!

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Why Today's Workplace Needs Emotional Intelligence More Than Ever!

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We learn a lot from our clients. Their insights and experiences are our primary lifeline to what is happening at every level in today's workplace. And too often, what we hear isn't pretty. Overworked, overburdened, stressed, exhausted, cynical, pessimistic, untrusting, disengaged, resentful, frustrated, fearful and angry are common descriptions too many people give us.

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In Module 6, we learned the importance of creating a survey to understand how satisfied your employees are in the workplace. It' very important that employees are honest when taking these types of surveys or else their employers aren't able to try and make the necessary changes to please their employees in the future.

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Get insights on the current trends affecting corporate wellness programs, employee health and wellness, employee engagement and other wellness solutions

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Corporate America has a hard time hiring genuine people. A lot of these companies have started using recruitment companies to hire employees rather than promoting people up the chain of the company. It can be difficult hiring people through an external company because the company doing the hiring is not able to make the final decision on who is being hired. They aren't able to actually seek for new employees on their own.

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If you speak with startup founders or large-company CEOs, they'll probably tell you that hiring good people is their biggest challenge. It's no wonder there are thousands of recruiting firms in the U.S., all vying to help companies get talent in the door. But which recruiters are the most well-respected?

Forbes worked with analytics firm Statista to compile two lists of America's best recruiting firms. The first set ranks 250 executive search firms, defined as companies that place executives in positions with at least $100,000 in annual pay. The second ranks 250 professional search firms, which place employees in roles with less than $100,000 in annual income.

Click below to view the full lists:

To see the 10 most highly-rated companies in each category, open the gallery.

To conduct its research, Statista first consulted with sources like trade organizations and company databases, identifying about 4,000 recruiters in each of the two categories. Then it invited thousands of recruiters, employees who have worked with recruiters over the past three years, and H.R. managers to take an online survey. The survey asked them to recommend up to 10 recruiting firms (excluding their own), and it gathered a total of 20,000 recommendations. The companies with the most recommendations ranked highest.

Robert Half, a recruiting firm based in Silicon Valley, was the only company to make the top 10 on both the professional and executive recruiters lists. It has 16,400 employees, made $5.3 billion in revenue last year and is a member of the S&P 500. Robert Half places candidates in a range of industries, including finance, law, technology and marketing.

Korn Ferry took the top spot on the executive recruiters list. The Los Angeles-based company has 7,000 employees and works with 93% of the highest-grossing companies in the U.S. It places candidates in dozens of sectors, ranging from investment banking to industrial manufacturing and education.

New York had more recruiters on the lists than any other city, with 41 executive recruiting firms and 18 professional recruiting firms. Chicago had the second-most, followed by Atlanta.

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There are thousands of recruiting firms in the U.S., all vying to help companies get talent in the door. But which recruiters are the most well-respected? Forbes worked with analytics firm Statista to compile two lists of America's best recruiting firms.

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What is the importance of organizational culture?

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What is the importance of organizational culture?

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This article discusses why organizational culture is important. Some large companies disregard organizational culture and feel it is not necessary. When you have culture in an organization, it defines how a company does things and that company continues to do things in that manner. A company's culture can be altered, depending on who makes the decision to make this change. When the culture is falling apart in a company, that means the "immune system" of the company is falling apart along with it.

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If you want to provoke a vigorous debate, start a conversation on organizational culture. While there is universal agreement that (1) it exists, and (2) that it plays a crucial role in shaping behavior in organizations, there is little consensus on what organizational culture actually is, never mind how it influences behavior and whether it is something leaders can change.

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What Is Organizational Culture? And Why Should We Care?

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What leaders need to know to change orgs for the better.

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We learned in this module about Zappos mission statement and how they look to deliver the WOW factor to their customers. Nike has a very powerful mission statement for all people interested in sports, "To Bring Inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world." People who play sports look for certain shoes or clothes, things that make them feel that their athleticism is enhanced when wearing this brand. Nike does a bang up job keeping up with new innovations and competing with other companies.

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Fortune 500 companies are the biggest and best run in the nation. That's because they remain tightly focused
on delivering quality in a competitive market. If you want to learn from the best, there are plenty of
lessons waiting in these mission statements.

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Fortune 500 companies are the biggest and best run in the nation. That's because they remain tightly focused on delivering quality in a competitive market. If you want to learn from the best, there are plenty of lessons waiting in these mission statements.

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Zappos CEO likes to be known for delivering "the Wow" to their customers. I came across this image that shows Zappos mission statement and how they strive for greatness. Can you always deliver the wow to your customers? Even if they are only going to buy a pair of shoes, will they always be satisfied with what they are buying?

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The regrets of Zappos management decisions became more clear after reading more in depth about their company in the attached article. The CEO decided to get rid of all management teams and later regretted the decision. Being without management teams makes it more difficult for companies to manage the amount of employees that they have.

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"In terms of what we would have done differently, I think that there's never a good time to make a transition and we probably hesitated too long," Hsieh told CNBC. "So if I could do anything differently, I would actually do it earlier."

Hsieh didn't have to offer the option of a severance package to employees, but he said it aligned with Zappos' policy of treating employees with respect. It mirrors the company's unusual policy of offering new hires one month's salary to quit if they don't love the job (a practice Amazon, which bought Zappos for $1.2 billion in 2009, has since adopted).

Zappos is known for its commitment to company culture - one of its core values is to "create fun and a little weirdness" - and Hsieh hoped the move to self-management would help the company maintain a start-up feel even as it grew.

Holacracy was created and trademarked by software developer Brian Robertson, who grew disillusioned by the traditional hierarchy of top-down management before launching his management-consultancy firm HolacracyOne. With Robertson's lead, Zappos has transitioned from bosses and direct reports to "lead links" who oversee "circles," or certain projects that require certain "roles" being filled. Employees, acting more like entrepreneurs, are encouraged to find multiple roles.

As described in organizational researcher Frederic Laloux's book "Redefining Organizations" (which Hsieh instructed all employees to read), a small turn of a big cog at the top of a traditional management hierarchy can send many small cogs spinning. Try as it might, the reverse isn't true for the small cog.

Under holacracy, however, titles are stripped away, allowing a once lower-level employee to have great impact, Hsieh said.

"As companies get bigger, you become slower moving; there's more bureaucracy. And I don't think any manager is purposely thinking, 'How can I become more bureaucratic?'" Hsieh said.

He speculates that such a reduction in productivity might help explain why so many companies named on the first Fortune 500 list in 1955 aren't on the list today. "If you look at the original list, 88 percent of those companies are no longer on that list. So the default future for companies is death," Hsieh said.

Invoking Harvard professor Edward Glaeser's book "Triumph of the City,"Hsieh also points out that cities generally become 15 percent more productive when populations double, while the same cannot be said for companies.

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Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh on getting rid of managers: What I wish I'd done differently

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"In terms of what we would have done differently, I think that there's never a good time to make a transition and we probably hesitated too long," Hsieh told CNBC. "So if I could do anything differently, I would actually do it earlier."

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This article discusses two different ways to make decisions when in a management position. It's important that when a decision that needs to be made is made out of respect for their employees. When decisions are made behind the employees back it can potentially ruin the relationship that management has with their employees.

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What Are Two Important Managerial Decision-Making Techniques?

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Small business owners and managers make decisions that affect everyday operations and long-term profitability. These decisions typically involve making choices to achieve desired outcomes. For example, a franchiser may decide between two overseas locations for its first overseas expansion, or a company president may ...

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In Module 4 we discussed In N Out and whether the hype of this company was legitimate or not. I don't see how only having options from the menu in the attached image could be satisfying for people who are regulars to this restaurant chain. Other fast food restaurants have a wide variety of options, but this menu is very small.

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In Module 4, we learned about the importance of communicating in management. After coming across this article, I came to the realization that if all managers acted the way this article mentions then they might have had better relationships with their employees. When a manager communicates with their employees, they get better productivity from their employees because their employees actually feel appreciated.

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Managers must communicate with all types of employees to succeed.

George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images

To lead others, you must demonstrate effective communication skills. Otherwise, a manager will lack the credibility to implement his employer's objectives, and struggle to rally worker teams behind them. Managers who communicate well are also more likely to become good problem solvers, which is an essential skill to function well in an international workplace where diversity is increasingly the norm. Employees who show an aptitude for verbal and written communication are more likely to advance up the corporate ladder, as well. Effective communication between managers and employees is requisite for a well-functioning workplace.

Better Employee Relations

The best managers understand the need for building alliances and communicating throughout all levels of the organization. Effective communications skills are a must for breaking down barriers, which promotes the collaborative atmosphere that an organization needs to thrive. A typical employee's engagement and interest in work varies from day to day. Astute managers accept this reality but can tailor their own communication style to motivate an employee to achieve the desired result.

Gains in Productivity

Whether they realize it or not, managers are the linchpin of a company's productivity efforts. Managers must clearly articulate strategies and plans so that an employee team knows what to do, and how the company envisions them being carried out. At the same time, each team member should understand his role, and why his particular task is so important. If the manager can't make that case, employees grow complacent and less interested in their work.

Impact of Globalization

Cross-cultural and linguistic work teams are increasingly common features in today's globalized workplace. Managers must devise new communications strategies to interact with an increasingly multicultural, multinational workforce. Employees also may identify with several different national groups, which managers must consider when trying to communicate a company's goals and objectives.

Multigenerational Relations

Conflicts are likely when employees from different generations find themselves working together. Good communications skills are a must for managers wanting to succeed in this environment. For example, the competitive drive of Baby Boomer employees born between 1946 and 1964 may not sit well with Generation X and Y peers, born in 1965 or later, who desire a less intense work life. Managers must avoid blanket stereotypes when trying to encourage the various groups to interact with each productively.

Problem Solving Skills

Effective communication and problem-solving skills go hand in hand. Employees who struggle on the job naturally look to managers for guidance to solve their problems. A manager who lacks discretion, however, is unlikely to gain the trust he needs to address co-worker conflicts, declining performance or substance abuse issues. Failure to address these situations, in turn, jeopardizes the organization's productivity and ability to carry out its mission.

About the Author

Ralph Heibutzki's articles have appeared in the "All Music Guide," "Goldmine," "Guitar Player" and "Vintage Guitar." He is also the author of "Unfinished Business: The Life & Times Of Danny Gatton," and holds a journalism degree from Michigan State University.

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Why Is Effective Communication Important in Management?

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To lead others, you must demonstrate effective communication skills. Otherwise, a manager will lack the credibility to implement his employer's objectives, and struggle to rally worker teams behind them. Managers who communicate well are also more likely to become good problem solvers, which is an essential skill to function well in an international workplace where diversity is increasingly the norm.

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A burger joint that doesn't have a lot of locations is all that people talk about if they have never actually been to it. It's the place to try when people visit California, but is the hype misleading for those who have never tried it? In N Out has a menu with very few items, those who may want to eat healthy at a fast food restaurant don't really have that option. Even though they have fresh toppings and claim to have fresh burgers, their fries don't really get as much credit as they hoped for.

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The scene: Few - if any - fast food chains enjoy the fandom given to California-based In-N-Out Burger, which has built an almost cult-like following since its first store opened in the Los Angeles area in 1948. The chain's iconic arrow logo was developed six years later, and relatively little has changed since - except that there are now nearly 300 locations across every part of California as well as Arizona, Nevada, Utah and, most recently, Texas.

Size and external appearance vary from store to store, except for the instantly recognizable arrow logo sign, but inside they are almost identical - with a white-tile, corner-shaped ordering counter beneath menu boards and a general '50s car-hop feel (right down to the paper hats many employees wear). Otherwise the interior resembles most other fast-food eateries, with synthetic chairs, tables and booths, but the counter itself has much more of a timeless diner feel. In most cases you can also see a huge bank of deep fryers, since a signature of the chain is very fresh and continuously made fries in small batches.

The most obvious thing that sets In-N-Out apart from its competitors is the scant menu, which ostensibly features nothing but burgers and cheeseburgers, plus fries, shakes and soft drinks. No chicken nuggets, fried fish, salads, breakfast sandwiches, onion rings and no wraps of any kind. Burgers and fries are the mainstays, though In-N-Out is also famed for its "secret menu" with many more variations on these staples (see below).

Reason to visit: Burgers with lots of toppings, especially the "secret" grilled onions

The food: Despite its very passionate loyal following, the actual burgers at In-N-Out are not especially good. The very basic, thin fast-food patties housed in generic buns are nearly identical to those at McDonald's or Burger King. What does set them apart are the trimmings, as the chain emphasizes freshness. The thick-sliced tomato, onion and crispy lettuce are noticeably superior to their competitors. A burger with the works, which includes their signature "spread" - think Thousand Island dressing - becomes a substantial and fairly tasty combo; a great value at less than two bucks for a burger (and just $3.30 for a loaded double cheeseburger). If you order your burgers or cheeseburgers more on the plain side, though, you may have trouble understanding what the In-N-Out fuss is all about.

Freshness is a big part of their fans' passion, and the chain makes it a point to emphasize that its stores have no microwaves, heat lamps or freezer. Every burger is cooked to order, one at a time. The chain has two patty facilities where it grinds its own meat using whole cuts from regular distributors, whereas many fast-food chains get their patties frozen directly from third-party meat processing plants. Likewise, potatoes are hand-cut in each store and fried in 100% vegetable oils in frequent, small batches. The shakes are made from actual ice cream.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that with the exception of the toppings, none of this freshness matters much. The patties don't taste appreciably better, and for fast food, take a long time to arrive without being worth the extra wait. The shakes still have that synthetic taste common to the big fast-food chains and are nothing special; and the fries have a distinctive taste that I do not like - a too crunchy, almost overcooked quality. It's not a matter of crispness, as I love crisp fries, it's more as if they have been cooked to the point of the liquid evaporating within and are too dry. Since they are unusual, some consumers fall on either side of the divide; I have friends who respectively love or hate the fries.

For more than half a century In-N-Out has offered preparations not found on its very simple and straightforward menu, which limits burger choices to hamburger, cheeseburger and the signature "Double Double," with two beef patties and two slices of American cheese. These extras are known to fans as the "secret menu," though In-N-Out lists some of it on their website (but not in stores) as the "not so secret menu." Most items are simply variations on the regulars, such as the 3x3 and 4x4, which take the double double and make it bigger with three or four patties and slices of cheese. There's a grilled cheese, which is basically the burger without the patty, and burgers served low-carb "protein style," which come wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun. Finally, there is "animal style," which adds extra spread, pickle and grilled onions to "mustard-grilled" patties. These are patties griddled after being topped with mustard for a distinctive cooked-in taste; while not listed on the website, you can get any burger mustard-grilled. You can also always request grilled-versus-raw onions, which is important to know because the rich and tender - almost jam-like - grilled onions are perhaps the most standout menu item. A final "secret" item of note that's not listed on the website but is readily available is the cheese fries - a normal tray of fries covered with two slices of American cheese and popped into a fast-cooking oven for a few seconds. Cheese fries are better than the regular fries, at least the top layer, which is as far as the melted cheese penetrates.

For standard-fare burgers, In-N-Out is nothing special, but they are considerably better in versions with multiple toppings and off-menu preparations. The prices are very reasonable and the service is noticeably better and friendlier than other fast-food chains. Every time you order, you are told that "you are guest number ___" for picking up your order, and you do feel more like a guest than a customer.

What regulars say: "I always get my burgers animal style," said In-N-Out fan and radio personality Kate Scott, the morning sports anchor on San Francisco's KNBR 680 AM.

Pilgrimage-worthy?: No.

Rating: OK (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)

Price: $ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)

Details: Hundreds of locations across California, Utah, Nevada and Texas; in-n-out.com
MORE: Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a BBQ contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at travel@usatoday.com. Some of the venues reviewed by this column provided complimentary services. Read previous columns
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Great American Bites: Is In-N-Out Burger overhyped?

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The scene: Few - if any - fast food chains enjoy the fandom given to California-based In-N-Out Burger, which has built an almost cult-like following since its first store opened in the Los Angeles area in 1948.

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McDonald's is one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in the world, with restaurants across 119 countries. For Module 3, we learned about global organizations and their impact on other countries. I came across this article and thought it was interesting since McDonald's is one of the top employers and is continuing to grow and provide more jobs for people in need. Their company may not have the best health reviews, but they are a company that will continue to grow over the years and continue to provide employment for other countries.

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We know from Module 3 that Marriott continues to give back to the community as much as possible. After learning about Marriott merging with Starwood, it made me wonder whether or not Marriott would increase the amount in which they give back to the community or if they would be able to expand to giving back to other communities who may need it more than others. This expansion could provide more opportunities for Marriott as a company and assist them in making a positive impact at other locations.

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CLOSE

Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts officially merged into one company on Friday, and the new Marriott has already made its first major decision: to give reciprocal benefits to members of each loyalty program.

Almost a year after first announcing the merger agreement, Marriott International has completed its $13 billion purchase of Starwood. With the addition of Starwood's portfolio, the new Marriott now has 30 brands with more than 5,700 hotels. That amounts to 1.1 million rooms in more than 110 countries, making Marriott the largest hotel company in the world.

Members of the Marriott Rewards program and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) were immediately able to link their accounts at Members.marriott.com to begin earning and redeeming points at all those hotels.

"We did want to deliver real benefits to our customers immediately," Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, who is leading the combined company, said during an interview with USA TODAY prior to the close. The two programs will remain separate while Marriott works on technology and product enhancements, Sorenson says.

The highly anticipated merger had a few starts and stops since the deal was reached in November 2015. A Chinese insurance consortium, Anbang, swooped in with a counter-offer that Starwood seriously considered for several weeks earlier this year. Anbang eventually dropped its bid. Then Chinese regulatory authorities, whose approval Marriott needed for the merger in order to operate properties in that coveted market, requested an extension of the review process.

Chinese authorities gave their final approval last week, clearing the way for the merger to be finalized.

Sorenson said the merger will more than double the company's presence in such lucrative regions as Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The alliance is the biggest hotel merger in years, but it is not the only one. InterContinental Hotels group acquired boutique chain Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants last year. AccorHotels purchased the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands this year. Destination Hotels and Commune Hotels have merged.

Many have likened the consolidation of the hotel industry to that of the airlines.

But Gray Shealy, executive director of the Master's of Hospitality Management Program at Georgetown University, says the Marriott-Starwood merger is likely to be less rocky.

"They've had tons and tons of time to prepare for it," he says. "If anyone is going to do it as smoothly as possible it would be Marriott. Airline operations are so wildly different than hotel operations."

David Loeb, senior hotel research analyst at Baird, says consumers will have a lot more options within the Marriott family, but perhaps not across the entire industry.

"It will be tougher and tougher for smaller companies to compete," he says. "Consumers do like choice."

With the merger, Marriott has acquired such luxury Starwood brands as St. Regis and W Hotels. Those will complement Marriott's The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, and EDITION.

Marriott will also inherit lifestyle brands such as Aloft, which will operate in the same category as Moxy and AC Hotels. The Marriott Hotels brand will co-exist with Sheraton.

Sorenson says he will retain the existing brands, even if they appeal to similar customers.

"We think we're advantaged and our customers are advantaged by having more choice, not less," he said.

That doesn't mean Marriott won't look to improve any brands. Marriott plans to "provide as clear a distinction as we can between the brands in terms of product and service so that our customers can have a sense of what each brand stands for," Sorenson says.

For instance, he said, Starwood's Element, an eco-friendly lifestyle brand, now has just 22 properties worldwide. Sorenson would like to see more growth there.

Another Starwood brand that needs some attention is Sheraton, he said.

"I suspect over the course of the next few years, we will work on strengthening the position of that brand and hopefully driving better returns for owners for all those hotels," he said.

As for the loyalty program, Marriott has already made some decisions. The combined programs have 85 million members.

Members of both Marriott Rewards, which include The Ritz-Carlton frequent guests, and SPG will have their status matched. If they link their accounts, they will be able to transfer and redeem points at a three-to-one ratio. Three Marriott Rewards points will equal one SPG Starpoint. That will apply to redemption stays and the Marriott Rewards Experiences Marketplace and SPG's Moments platform. Those programs allow members to redeem points for exclusive experiences, such as sporting events.

Loyalty program experts praised the initial execution.

"Marriott nailed it with their 3:1 transfer ratio," says Gary Leff, a travel industry expert who studies rewards programs.

He says Starwood is also known for its better treatment of top guests, offering perks such as suite upgrades and fewer limits on complimentary breakfast.

"Until we know how Starwood's best elite benefits and lifetime status will work, and whether the unique partnerships Starwood has forged with airlines like Delta, Emirates, and China Eastern survive the merger, members will continue to be in wait and see mode," he says.

Loeb says he expects Marriott to "go out of its way to be very good to Starwood's elite guests."

"They will do all they can to engender loyalty across the family of brands," he says. "I think that's a very important strategic goal to them."

Brian Kelly, founder of ThePointsGuy.com, says that as an elite member of both programs, he's pleased so far with how Marriott is handling the merger of the programs.

"My biggest fear was that they were going to take benefits away or do a one-size-fits-all approach of Marriott is it," he says. "They haven't, at least not yet ....This merger is so big they don't have to follow in the lead of airline mergers. And in the hotel space, there's never been a hotel merger of this magnitude with these loyalty programs."

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Marriott, Starwood merger is complete, loyalty programs will reciprocate

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CLOSE Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts officially merged into one company on Friday, and the new Marriott has already made its first major decision: to give reciprocal benefits to members of each loyalty program. Almost a year after first announcing the merger agreement, Marriott International has completed its $13 billion purchase of Starwood.

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Last fall, Haiti was severely hit by Hurricane Matthew. I came across this image which is an example of what people in Haiti went through when this hurricane hit. We discussed what Marriott did when an earthquake hit, but regardless of the kind gestures of other large organizations Haiti is still the victim as years progress. Haiti needs more than a hotel investment, they need assistance in better preparing for situations like these.

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In Module 3, our discussion was regarding the Marriott hotel and how they continue to assist areas in need. Haiti has suffered a lot of natural disasters over the years and Marriott took it upon themselves to help the community grow. They decided to take a gamble and provide 200+ jobs for the people of Haiti as well as sell Haiti as a tourist destination. Doing this will bring more money to Haiti, giving their economy the opportunity to grow.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti- In a gleaming, tall-ceilinged lobby, guests in blazers, Polo shirts and running attire pass through. Stunning prints, paintings and voodoo flag designs by Haitian artists decorate the walls on the way to the open bar and dining area.

The Marriott Port-au-Prince hotel is in its second year of operation. With a $45 million investment from Digicel, the hotel hosts non-governmental organization officials, journalists, business officials, Haitian-Americans, missionaries and vacationers. Benefiting from its brand name, the Marriott became profitable its first year, according to Stephanie Gibson, the hotel's marketing manager. It employs 165 people, nearly all of whom are Haitian, and has put a heavy emphasis on buying local goods.

Still, demand is less than anticipated. With the opening of two other luxury hotels - a Best Western and a Royal Oasis - and the expansion of two existing hotels in the wake of the 2010 earthquake, the market has ample supply. The political turmoil this year surrounding Haiti's elections has done little to help, and the bookings have also declined as non-governmental organizations scale back their role in post-quake Haiti.

"We are finding they've come and fulfilled their mission of what they wanted to set up, and now they are training local staff and talent to take over what they had expats doing," Gibson said.

The oversupply is no surprise to Richard A. Morse, who manages Hotel Oloffson, a smaller, 20-room gingerbread house-style hotel. With its regular live voodoo-inspired music and historical role, Oloffson attracts travelers seeking a more eclectic and artsy experience, so he does not consider the new hotels as direct competition. He is puzzled, though, especially by the hotel growth in the wealthier suburb of Pétionville.

"I don't know how those places stay open," Morse said. "Why are they building all these big hotels in Pétionville?"

Tourism officials said oversupply is not a concern. After the earthquake, more rooms were needed. For Haiti to rebuild its tourism sector, a strong economic development tool, adequate infrastructure must exist.

"If we want the tourism in Haiti to grow, we definitely have to have the capacity," said Samuel Dameus, spokesman for Haiti's Ministry of Tourism. "We have to be ready."

Even with lower occupancy, the Marriott maintains a busy feel. Guests mill around the lobby at all hours, filling bar stools and tables, and Gibson said the dining area becomes a business hub during the lunch hour. It hosts conventions and parties, turning the pristine pool and patio area into a concert venue.

Gibson says hotel management is optimistic about demand once the political instability subsides. Meanwhile, its staff is perfecting its "Marriott culture" based on strong customer service, she said.

"It's not selling the hotel, it's selling Haiti as a destination, a destination for the right traveler, a destination to come and do business" said Gibson, a Boston native. "We are right in the U.S.'s backyard. It's just getting people down here. Once you come down once, typically people are back in the next eight months to a year because there is something they fall in love with."
The reporting for this story was funded by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter @JamieMcGee_.
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti- In a gleaming, tall-ceilinged lobby, guests in blazers, Polo shirts and running attire pass through. Stunning prints, paintings and voodoo flag designs by Haitian artists decorate the walls on the way to the open bar and dining area. The Marriott Port-au-Prince hotel is in its second year of operation.

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This image is also relevant to the opportunities that women are now given in comparison to their previous opportunities. This picture symbolizes the strength of women, how they handle themselves. This is also relevant to the benefits of having women in leadership positions, the image shows the strength that women carry.

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When I saw this image, I realized how powerful the meaning of this image is especially in comparison to what we learned in Module 2. This image symbolizes what women went through years ago, being restrained from becoming successful. Even though women still have a long ways to go, this image symbolizes that women are now able to break free from those restraints and follow their dreams.

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The Benefits of Having Women in Leadership Positions

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The Benefits of Having Women in Leadership Positions

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In Module 2, we learned about the importance of having a diverse organization. Years ago women were not given as many opportunities as they are now. During this module, I learned about the importance of having women in leadership roles and how it can actually benefit an organization. According to this article, women are trusted more than men. This is because women are known to be more honest and upfront with people. Studies have also shown that the more women you have in leadership positions, the higher financial return companies may have. This article also describes how women are better when it comes to securing deals than men, hence this could be that they are trusted more.

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Even though the percentage of women in the talent pipeline has steadily increased over the last 3 decades, there are still large gender gaps from entry-level right through to top-executive positions. In tech, women hold only 30% of the entry-level roles and only approximately 7% of private tech company boards are made up of women.

Here at theBoardlist, we're already true believers in increasing gender diversity at work - in honor of Labor Day, we pulled together 5 reasons why having women in leadership roles benefits your entire company.

1. More women = better problem-solving

Time and time again, researchers find that diversity of thought leads to better problem solving  - when we collaborate with people of different genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities and race in our workplace, we all do better work.

The Global Leadership Forecast 2014-2015 concluded that " gender diversity in your leadership pool means greater diversity of thought, which, in turn, leads to improved problem solving and greater business benefits." In the same study, when researchers asked leaders what would help increase their effectiveness, they answered "my organization needs to start creating more transparency, more attention to promoting women in leadership roles, and an atmosphere in which everyone has a chance to be a leader."

By hiring and promoting women from different backgrounds into your company, it provides an outstanding base from which to build upon.

2. Female leaders are trusted

More American workers perceive female executives as being honest and ethical than they do male executives. Pew's "Women and Leadership" surveyed Americans in 2015 and found that 34% say women are better at this, while only 3% say men are better at it (64% say there's no difference).

While it's unclear whether this means women are actually more honest, it's a good reminder of how morally gray some business decisions can be. Leaders are often tasked with choosing between options that aren't black and white, ethically speaking, and the capacity to lead honestly is important to the entire company's success and job satisfaction.

3. Women leaders are more collaborative

Last year, researchers found that women are better at making deals in the Senate than their male peers - collaborating and working across party lines in greater numbers than the men. "Over the past seven years, the Quorum analysis found, the average female senator co-sponsored 6.29 bills with another Senate woman, while the average male senator co-sponsored 4.07 bills with another Senate man" and that "the average female senator co-sponsored 171.08 bills with a member of the opposite party; for the average male senator, that figure was 129.87." What can work in the Senate can work in the boardroom.

4. Women make terrific mentors

While studies have shown women have a more difficult time finding mentors than men, 30% of those surveyed by Pew Research felt women made better mentors than men - while only 5% felt men were better mentors than women. Mentorship and sponsorship can be incredibly important for career growth and job satisfaction, so having increased supply "on the bench" in your company can give your employees an edge.

"There is nothing like a great mentor - someone who can guide you and provide honest, real-time, practical advice," says Jackie Stone, CMO of MiMedia. "Mentors don't judge your thoughts, ideas or dreams - they help you achieve them. My mentors have guided me to new opportunities and pushed me to take risks." Want to be a better mentor? Open Forum has tips.

5. Millennial women are more educated than men

Today's young women are starting their careers better educated than men. A more educated workforce is essential for implementing innovative techniques, challenging the status quo and introducing new business approaches. If women are more educated, women are critical tools to ignite the growth of a company.

Follow the Money

If these 5 reasons aren't enough, think about this. A 2016 survey of 21,980 publicly traded companies in 91 countries concluded that "the presence of more female leaders in top positions of corporate management correlates with increased profitability of these companies" ( source). This confirms what study after study for more than a decade have found - that having increased female leadership on your team or board leads to increased financial results. If that doesn't convince you, what will?

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5 reasons why having women in leadership benefits your entire company

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Even though the percentage of women in the talent pipeline has steadily increased over the last 3 decades, there are still large gender gaps from entry-level right through to top-executive positions. In tech, women hold only 30% of the entry-level roles and only approximately 7% of private tech company boards are made up of women.

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Module 2 we discussed the importance of workplace diversity. I recently came across a powerful image that shows how strong having diversity in a workplace can be. It's important that we understand no matter what someone looks like, who they choose to be, or the color of their skin does not make them incapable of being a team player and a huge asset to the company.

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During Module 1, we learned about the importance of being in a management role. I found an article on CareerBuilder that describes the importance of being an encouraging manager. It discusses how important it is to encourage employees to work together and take ownership of the projects they are assigned to. One huge thing Steve Jobs lacked was showing his appreciation of his employees and their accomplishments. This article discussed how important that appreciation is as well as how to motivate employees with financial incentives.

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​What are management skills and why are they important?

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Understanding and displaying good management skills will help to position you for a successful career no matter what level you're starting at. Learn the essential role that good management skills play in the workplace.

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Over recent years Google has taken it upon itself to make fun of Apple’s way of launching their new products. In the link below you can watch multiple videos that show Google making fun of Apple including the color names they choose along with their constant need to announce, “One More Thing”. Google also came up with a commercial showing a woman taking a bite out of an apple, meaning they were jabbing at the company in their ad. Google’s decision to make fun of Apple has been a humorous tradition that people look forward to anytime Apple releases a new product.

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At its Pixel 2 launch event, Google released its second generation hardware products, including Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Home Mini, Home Max, Pixelbook, Daydream View, etc. The company also released two new Pixel accessories - Clips and Pixel Buds.

As Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL directly compete with iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, Google didn't miss a chance to mock Apple. These subtle jabs weren't new; Google did the same thing at first Pixel launch. Let's take a look:

1. A bite out of Apple?

The company started off Pixel 2 unveiling with a promo video that took funnily took a jab at Apple. In the video, Google asked: "What if a company based on questions questioned this?" With this question, a picture of a woman biting into an Apple was shown.

2. Extra features in iPhone Plus devices

It's worth noting that Apple reserves better features for its Plus models of iPhone. In case you buy iPhone 7 Plus or iPhone 8 Plus, you get a dual camera which brings portrait mode. That's not the case with Pixel; you get exactly the same features on different screen sizes.

At Pixel 2 event, a Google executive took a jab at Apple by saying: "We don't set aside better features for the larger device."

3. Limited iCloud space

Google Pixel phones come with an advantage of unlimited Google Photos cloud storage. This means that you can continue taking as much as HD and 4K pictures and videos without worrying about the storage. That's not the case with Apple's iCloud.

"Pixel 2 users will continue to get free, unlimited storage for all videos and photos they capture in the highest resolution including 4K video and motion photos. Pixel users take twice as photos as iPhone users. If you use iCloud, you reach the free limit in less than 3 months," Google said.

4. Move from iPhone to Pixel in 10 minutes

Moving to a new phone is hectic, and Google told that you can transfer your data from an old phone to new Pixel in less than 10 minutes. Google made fun of Apple, Subtly, and chose to display a picture of transferring data from an iPhone to a Pixel phone. It was further added that users can move their iMessages as well.

5. Pixel 2 Colors

After Apple iPhone 7 added a new color named "jet black," original Pixel launched with colors - "very silver," "quite black" and "really blue". Pixel 2 continued this tradition, and the audience had a good laugh with new colors: "kinda blue," "just black," and "clearly white."

"We love picking the color names," a Google executive said jokingly during the event.

6. "One More Thing"

At the event, a Google executive went as far as mimicking Apple's iconic "One More Thing" tagline. While it might not be intended on Google's part, it was surely worth noticing.

Did you catch some other instance when Google made fun of Apple at the Pixel 2 launch event? Don't forget to let us know and we'll be glad to feature it. 😀

Fossbytes co-founder and an aspiring entrepreneur who keeps a close eye on open source, tech giants, and security. Get in touch with him by sending an email - [email protected]

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6 Times Google Made Fun Of Apple At Pixel 2 Launch Event

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At its Pixel 2 launch event, Google released its second generation hardware products, including Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Home Mini, Home Max, Pixelbook, Daydream View, etc. The company also released two new Pixel accessories - Clips and Pixel Buds.

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How is Tim Cook Different from Steve Jobs?

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How is Tim Cook Different from Steve Jobs?

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When Tim Cook took over for Steve Jobs 6 weeks before he died, he didn’t really know what was in store for him. Tim has thick skin, but he didn’t realize how often Steve had to stand in front of the spears being thrown at the company on a regular basis. We learned from this Module that Jobs was a very manipulative CEO who didn’t give his employees much breathing room. The difference between Jobs and Cook is that Cook is compared to be a coach who trusts his players and lets them take control of the wheel.

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Tim Cook assumed he was ready forthe harsh glare that shines on Apple's (AAPL) CEO. He had, after all, filled in for Jobs three times during the Apple founder's medical leaves of absence. Cook ultimately became the company's chief executive six weeks before Jobs died, in October 2011.

What Cook found out instead is that there is no preparation for the scrutiny that comes with succeeding a legend. "I have thick skin," he says, "but it got thicker. What I learned after Steve passed away, what I had known only at a theoretical level, an academic level maybe, was that he was an incredible heat shield for us, his executive team. None of us probably appreciated that enough because it's not something we were fixated on. We were fixated on our products and running the business. But he really took any kind of spears that were thrown. He took the praise as well. But to be honest, the intensity was more than I would ever have expected."

Cook's reflection on his trial by fire comes at an other-wise triumphant moment. On this sunny Sunday in March, he is taking a breather from rehearsals for the event the next day in which he will reveal details of the Apple Watch, the first all-new device of his tenure as CEO. Sitting under a canopy at an outdoor café in San Francisco, steps from the auditorium where Apple will put on the product-reveal spectacle, Cook, 54, nibbles on snacks as he reflects on the 31/2 years that he has run Apple. He's heard the repeated refrains that "Apple can't innovate under Tim," that the company needed a low-cost iPhone to thwart the progress of Google's Android, that Cook never could replicate the Jobs magic-and therefore that Apple never again would be "insanely great."

Cook taught himself, he says, to block out the noise. "I thought I was reasonable at that before, but I've had to become great at it. You pick up certain skills when the truck is running across your back. Maybe this will be something great that I'll use in other aspects of my life over time."

Already there is tangible evidence that the tread marks left no permanent scars. No one will be able to say for quite a while whether the Apple Watch or new services like Apple Pay or the $3 billion acquisition of headphone maker and music service Beats last year will prove financially successful. What can be said is that each in its own way constitutes proof that Apple is moving forward under its first nonfounder CEO since Gil Amelio got the ax in 1997. What's more, those moves and others speak volumes about Cook's leadership, at least measured against the widespread assumption that he would simply mind the company Jobs left in his custody.

In fact, there's little debate that the state of Apple under Cook is fundamentally sound. Its stock has soared from a split-adjusted $54 to a recent $126 since Jobs died, translating into a market capitalization well north of $700 billion, the first company to cross that level. Indeed, its market value is more than double that of either Exxon Mobil or Microsoft. At the same time, Apple's cash hoard has tripled since 2010, to more than $150 billion. (That's despite the fact that Apple has spent a total of $92.6 billion in dividends and buybacks under Cook, all the more noteworthy because Jobs frowned on distributing cash to shareholders.) Apple has defended its high-end turf in smartphones, especially in China, where it sold $38 billion of merchandise overall in 2014. Cook has handled the occasional product snafu-Apple Maps comes to mind-with candor and humility. As well, he largely has held together the long-tenured management team he inherited from Jobs, augmenting it with a few key players and owning up to the occasional hiring blunder.

Remarkably, Cook has come into his own as a high-profile leader of Apple, not merely tolerating the spotlight but leaning into it to focus attention on issues of importance to him and his company. His decision last October to announce publicly that he is gay instantly made the onetime low-profile and exceedingly private executive a global role model. It also made him the only openly gay CEO in the Fortune 500. And Cook has used the pulpit provided him by Apple's worldwide platform to opine on subjects as diverse as human rights, access to education, female representation on Wall Street, immigration reform, and privacy rights. He even ventured into the heart of the Deep South, to the capital of his home state of Alabama, to lament the sorry state of racial equality there.

Cook has differentiated himself from Jobs in myriad ways, and not merely with his willingness to speak out on societal issues. Cook, who joined Apple from Compaq Computer in 1998, came from an operations background and had spent the formative years of his career at IBM. At Apple that means he's not what company executives like to call a "subject-matter expert" on such critical areas as product development, design, and marketing. Consequently he behaves much more like a coach who trusts his players than the manipulative mastermind Jobs was.

The result has been a level of stability in the senior management ranks few expected. "He never tried to be Steve," says Eddy Cue, senior vice president for Internet software and services, who joined Apple in 1989. "He tried to always be himself. He has been very good at letting us do our thing. He's aware and involved at the high end, and he gets involved as needed. Steve got involved at the pixel level."

There is no model, of course, for following someone like Jobs, a founder-entrepreneur widely regarded for a ruthless impulsiveness that repeatedly resulted in greatness. What's more, three-plus years of steady success is no guarantee for the future. Says Michael Useem, the prominent Wharton management professor and director of the school's Center for Leadership and Change Management: "In my own small world the question of whether Cook can sustain Apple's momentum comes up more often than just about any other question on top management these days."

For his part, Cook says he has grasped that more important than answering his critics is learning to ignore them. "I'm not running for office," he says. "I don't need your vote. I have to feel myself doing what's right. If I'm the arbiter of that instead of letting the guy on TV be that or someone who doesn't know me at all, then I think that's a much better way to live."

Cook's defiant, confident tone reflects the CEO he has become. No one guards Apple's distinct corporate culture-a culture designed by Jobs-more fiercely than Cook. Yet he also is gradually tweaking Apple at its edges, leading the company where he wants to take it, adding his unique perspective, and subtly but clearly redefining Apple in his image. It isn't clear if Jobs would have approved or disapproved. But the enigmatic founder himself, in his dying days, told Cook that he shouldn't obsess over trying to channel Jobs when making decisions. Given that, the question of what Jobs would have thought of where Cook is leading the company is, in the end, beside the point.
Moments of Truth
Richard Tedlow taught the history of business at Harvard for 31 years. He developed an expertise on the technology industry, penning books about the Watson family's turbulent stewardship of IBM and a biography of the mercurial CEO of Intel, Andy Grove. Today Tedlow teaches at Apple University, the in-house education unit Jobs established before his death. Apple University isn't a typical managementtraining arm, and Tedlow calls it the "Think Different corporate university," a nod to the famous advertising campaign Jobs orchestrated in the late 1990s. Its goal is to document for its employees Apple's peculiar ways as well as to ensure that the company's people consider non-Apple perspectives that will help them think critically and remain open to new ideas.

Tedlow calls the school a "therapeutic alliance between technology and the liberal arts." Its courses on topics seemingly far removed from the business of computers and gadgets unsubtly reinforce Apple's view of itself. For example, the Stanford political philosopher Joshua Cohen has lectured about pianist Glenn Gould's meticulous effort to record and then re-record the famous Bach Goldberg Variations. Jobs' famous obsession with the perfect screws on the inside of the original Mac can't be far from an Apple student's mind.

The course Tedlow has been teaching lately is called Moments of Truth. It features a discussion of Abraham Lincoln's famous "with malice toward none" second inaugural address, which he made into "a moment not of retribution but of reconciliation," says Tedlow. The 67-year-old former academic, who has remained almost completely out of the public's eye since joining Apple, also includes Margaret Thatcher's decision to commit to battle in the Falkland Islands and Johnson & Johnson CEO James Burke's handling of the Tylenol bottle-tampering crisis.

Tedlow draws a straight line from the moments of truth of Lincoln and others to the situation Cook faced when Jobs died. Sure, leading a beloved gadget maker isn't quite on par with reuniting a great nation ripped asunder by a bloody civil war. But the emotional parallels resonate. "I certainly think he had to come onboard and take the weight of everybody's expectations," says Tedlow. At a memorial service for employees in the courtyard of Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus, Cook told the company, "Our best days are ahead of us"-a difficult message to deliver at that moment and one Tedlow compares to Lincoln's trying to reassure a war-weary and deeply divided nation.

Convincing anyone that the post-Jobs era held great promise was a tough sell for Cook. The company had few headline-level innovations on the near-term horizon. At a product launch the day before Jobs' death, for example, the voice-recognition application Siri was one of the company's few hints at something new. Yet Siri represented Apple playing catch-up to a feature Google's Android already offered. Worse, it wasn't particularly good. Siri quickly became the butt of jokes at Apple's expense for its frequent inability to understand its user.

A year later Apple was in hot water for another weak product, its version of mobile mapping. Apple had booted Google Maps from the prime position on the iPhone in favor of its own version. But Apple Maps was riddled with errors, comically leading users to wrong destinations. The product was so lame that Cook publicly told customers he was "extremely sorry" for the debacle. He recommended that they use Google Maps, among other products, instead. A short time later Cook fired Scott Forstall, the head of mobile software and a longtime Jobs acolyte.

In early 2013, Cook confronted another senior management challenge. His highest-profile hire from outside Apple had been John Browett, the former head of the U.K.-based discount electronics chain Dixon's. The chief of a low-end retailer was a curious choice for the head of Apple's high-touch retail operation. (Ron Johnson, the former Target executive who had run the Apple Stores division since its inception, had by this time left Apple and later signed on as CEO of J.C. Penney.) Browett didn't fit in at Apple-he angered store employees by changing scheduling practices, for example-and Cook dumped him in March 2013. (Browett later acknowledged in a speech that it was a shock to be let go not because he was incompetent but because he didn't gel with the Apple culture. Reached for comment, he declined to elaborate.)

Looking back, Cook sees the episode as part of his education as CEO. "That was a reminder to me of the critical importance of cultural fit, and that it takes some time to learn that," he says. As CEO, "you're engaged in so many things that each particular thing gets a little less attention. You need to be able to operate on shorter cycles, less data points, less knowledge, less facts. When you're an engineer, you want to analyze things a lot. But if you believe that the most important data points are people, then you have to make conclusions in relatively short order. Because you want to push the people who are doing great. And you want to either develop the people who are not or, in a worst case, they need to be somewhere else."

Another challenge for Cook was figuring out how to deliver Apple's message when its new products simply weren't ready to be discussed. At a technology industry conference in mid-2013, for instance, Cook was so elusive that investors openly questioned whether he had a vision for the company. Apple's stock by that time had fallen back to the level at which it had traded when Cook took over.

All the while, behind closed doors, Cook was shoring up his management team as the company was working on the new products the world so badly wanted. In late 2013 he lured the CEO of Burberry, Angela Ahrendts, to head Apple's retail stores. A year later Apple launched the large-screen iPhone 6 and its even bigger iPhone 6 Plus. It also unveiled a new payment system, Apple Pay, and its soon-to-be-shipped Apple Watch. The new iPhones, more than anything else, put Apple back on its upward trajectory. It sold a stunning 74.5 million of them in the last quarter of 2014, as the company generated $18 billion in profits, sending the stock price on an upward tear.

The success has allowed Cook to take mistakes in stride. In late 2014 a glassmaker called GT Advanced Technologies, which Apple had contracted with to make a next-generation screen for its devices, declared bankruptcy when Apple declined to use its product. GTAT, as it is known, filed suit against Apple, claiming that its finances were ruined because of investments it made to fulfill the Apple contract. Apple, for its part, said it was blindsided by GTAT's bankruptcy. The two sides eventually settled, and Apple committed to building a data center and solar farm on the company's former manufacturing site in Arizona. Apple also was forced to take a major write-off for the debacle-it won't say how large-a painful screwup for a company that regularly commits billions of dollars to its manufacturing processes. Jeff Williams, senior vice president of operations and Cook's successor in that role, says Cook told him three things after the lawsuit. "When I informed Tim of the problem, his response was, 'Let's see what we can learn from it. We're not going to bat a thousand. And we're going to keep betting on great technologies for our customers.' "

Cook's measured emotional approach in leading Apple is markedly different from his predecessor's, but the focus on core products and a long-term orientation are exactly the same. In that context, it isn't critical that Apple Pay or the new wristwatch amount to giant profit drivers. "I have a simplified view of Apple," says Jean-Louis Gassée, an Apple executive in the 1980s who now writes a widely read weekly column on Apple in the email newsletter The Monday Note. "They have and always have had one business, personal computers. Now they make them in three sizes, small, medium, and large-the iPhone, the iPad, and notebook and desktop computers. Everything else, including Apple Watch in the case of the iPhone, exists to push up the margins of those products." To Gassée's way of thinking, Apple's strategy under Cook resembles the digital-hub strategy Jobs put into place 15 years ago, where products like iTunes drove sales of the iPod and ultimately the Mac. "Tim is playing the long game in his own way," he says.

Cook frames the debate in terms of how investors ought to view Apple. "The kind of investors we seek are long term because that's how we make our decisions," he says. "If you're a short-term investor, obviously you've got the right to buy the stock and trade it the way you want. It's your decision. But I want everybody to know that's not how we run the company."
Putting His Life in View
In his early performances atthe helm of Apple product launches and other public events, Tim Cook came off as wooden. But then, no matter how well he had done, he would have compared unfavorably with Jobs, a virtuoso of the keynote presentation. As time has passed, however, Cook has clearly settled into the role. At the watch event, he emceed with a natural smile on his face. When he hugged the fashion model and maternal-health advocate Christy Turlington Burns-who has been using an Apple Watch on long-distance runs-there was nothing awkward about their interaction.

Cook even seems to be enjoying himself. The day after the product launch, he presided over Apple's annual meeting in Cupertino, a tedious chore most CEOs endure rather than relish. Cook, on the other hand, visibly cottoned to the give-and-take with shareholders, answering questions in a folksy manner-and amiably avoiding the ones he didn't want to address. After twice sidestepping questions about whether Apple would buy the much-admired and rather Apple-like automaker Tesla Motors, he playfully praised himself for artfully not taking the bait. "There's some advantage to being CEO," he quipped.

While being CEO allows Cook the luxury of swatting away unwanted questions, it also gives him a powerful platform to address a host of other issues-even if they aren't directly related to Apple. In late October his home state inducted him into its Alabama Academy of Honor. It chose Cook to represent his class-which included University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and Sen. Jeff Sessions-as the sole speaker at the ceremony, a decision some came to regret. Cook moved quickly beyond platitudes and used the occasion to lambaste Alabama for its slowness to act on racial equality, on educational opportunity, and on equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. "This isn't right," he said. "It isn't reflective of our values."

A local television station captured an awkward moment afterward between Cook and the Republican governor of Alabama, Robert Bentley, who audibly took umbrage at Cook's comments. Don Logan, an Alabamian who is a former CEO of Time Inc. ( Fortune 's owner), was in the audience at the state capitol in Montgomery. "Tim is a very courageous guy," says Logan, a fellow Auburn University alum, who notes that the state legislature had only recently passed a bill to not allow gay marriage. "He knew he was speaking into the wind and that most people in the room didn't agree with him."

A few days later Cook announced publicly, in an essay in Bloomberg Businessweek, that he is gay. With no further comment from him or Apple, the disclosure set off a media frenzy, most of it favorable. Looking back, he says that he primarily acted out of concern for kids who were bullied at school, some to the point of suicide, and because of the many states that still allow employers to fire workers over their sexual orientation. Also, whereas U.S. courts were moving surprisingly quickly on the issue, "I didn't feel like business was exactly leading the way in the executive suite."

Cook says that he'd come to the decision of coming out "quite some time ago" and that his announcement was viewed internally at Apple, where his sexual orientation was more or less well known, as a "yawner." Speaking out so publicly was a big step for Cook, though, who has described himself as intensely private and who is rare among big-company CEOs for being genuinely ill at ease talking about himself. "To be honest, if I would not have come to the conclusion that it would likely help other people, I would have never done it," he says. "There's no joy in me putting my life in view." Referencing the often-cited line that "to whom much is given, much is required," Cook says, "I've certainly been given a lot."

The move made Cook famous for more than being the person running Steve Jobs' company. Mike Sullivan is a San Francisco lawyer with the global law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman who advises startup technology companies. Like Cook, he views his sexual orientation as a point of pride and affiliation but something that doesn't define him professionally. "We have 500 CEOs in the Fortune 500 out there, and I can guarantee you some of them are gay," he says. "The message Tim sent is, 'It's okay to be yourself. You don't have to lead with it. But you don't have to hide it either.' "

Cook has become so ubiquitous that it's tough to remember when he wasn't so visible. On an early March trip to Europe he huddled in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and in Brussels with Andrus Ansip, the former Prime Minister of Estonia and now the European Commission's top regulator on digital issues. He is featured in a new book by the former Fortune journalists Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli, who report that Cook offered Jobs a piece of his healthy liver for a transplant. (Jobs turned him down.) In March, Cook even phoned in to a surprised-and delighted-Jim Cramer during a live airing of the 10th anniversary of the broadcaster's financial shoutfest on CNBC.

Representing their companies publicly is obligatory for CEOs, but Cook takes public stands on issues including stopping the transmission of AIDS, human rights, and immigration reform. He sees them as opportunities for leadership. "You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change," he says, adding that Apple's people have long cared about such issues even if they haven't previously spoken so openly about them. To Cook, changing the world always has been higher on Apple's agenda than making money. He plans to give away all his wealth, after providing for the college education of his 10-year-old nephew. There should be plenty left over to fund philanthropic projects. Cook's net worth, based on his holdings of Apple stock, is currently about $120 million. He also holds restricted stock worth $665 million if it were to be fully vested. Cook says that he has already begun donating money quietly, but that he plans to take time to develop a systematic approach to philanthropy rather than simply writing checks.

An irony of Cook's Apple is that the company is becoming visibly more open under its guarded CEO than it was under the publicity-savvy demigod who ran Apple before him. Whereas Jobs severely restricted interactions between all his employees and the press, Cook has ushered in a period of glasnost with the news media. It is highly unlikely that Jobs would have tolerated, for example, The New Yorker 's recent 16,000-word profile of Jony Ive, Apple's chief designer. Cook says such exposure is part of his plan. "My objective is to raise the public profile of several of the folks on the executive team, and others as well. Because I think that's good for Apple at the end of the day."

The new openness serves two purposes. First, it ensures that the world continues to talk about Apple. Granting a longer leash to executives with healthy egos also is a valuable retention tool. "A true coach is happy with his star players getting media time," says Gassée, the ex-Apple executive. "Tim Cook is a true impresario who takes care of his prime donne. As long as the box office is good, the impresario will do that."
Building for the Future
Tim cook is standing atop a giantmountain of dirt. He has come to tour the construction site in Cupertino that by the end of 2016, if all goes as planned, will be Apple's new corporate campus. The dirt has been excavated from the massive pit below, and the pile is just about eye level with where the rooftop will be over the four-story, ringed building that will soon rise here. The building's doughnut-shaped design has sparked many comparisons to a spaceship. Looking down as trucks and workers scurry to and fro, Cook begins to talk about one of the subjects that really gets him going: where people work. It always amazes him, he says, how drab workspaces are in metropolitan office skyscrapers. Apple's new home will not be like that. "It shouldn't be a place that doesn't turn on your creative juices," he says, musing about how future college recruits will feel when they first visit. Visible in the distance are Apple's existing Cupertino campus, downtown San Jose, and Levi's Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers play and which, incidentally, would fit into the 30-acre park that will be at the center of the main spaceship building.

Steve Jobs spent a considerable amount of the last two years of his life planning the campus, including hiring the British architect Norman Foster to design it. Everything about the site is large scale, and Cook, a numbers man, can recite most of the figures by heart. The main building itself will be 2.8 million square feet and will house 13,000 employees. About 2,000 more workers will fill up adjacent buildings on the site, which will include a 100,000-square-foot fitness and wellness center, a café that will serve 15,000 lunches a day, and more than 8,000 trees, all native to the Santa Clara Valley.

Cook visits the work site periodically
-including twice already with Apple's board-and he exhibits an engineer's glee at watching the 22 construction cranes that dot the landscape. He says Apple hasn't decided yet exactly what it will call "Apple Campus 2," the current internal designation. Some naming element of the buildings or the entire locale will almost certainly include an homage to Jobs, depending on his family's wishes, says Cook.

On a 90-minute tour of the site, Cook dishes out details of the campus, which he calls "the mother of all products." For instance, Apple is investing in cutting-edge technology to manage tasks as mundane as parking. A system of sensors and apps will play traffic cop for employees as they enter the facility, eliminating the fuel-wasting hunt for a parking place. Just as it has done for its retail stores, Apple has built entire mockups of wings of the building to see how they look-and then torn them down. As to why Apple isn't building higher than four stories, the same height as its existing campus, Cook says, "When we mocked up five we didn't like the looks of it." He is particularly excited about the mostly below-ground, 1,000-seat auditorium in the southeast corner of the campus, which will be the company's new site for all its public presentations other than its annual developers conference. "No more scheduling months ahead of time around other people's schedules," says Cook enthusiastically.

In talking about the new campus, Cook is particularly ornery about one label for it. "I hate the word 'headquarters,' " he says. "There's real work going on here. It isn't overhead, and we're not bureaucrats." Indeed, among Apple's employees there is considerable speculation as to which groups will be assigned to the new building-and which will be relegated to the existing real estate. "We've decided three times," says Cook. "And we'll probably decide it three times more."

On the drive back to Cook's current office at 1 Infinite Loop, his Apple Watch emits a chiming sound that sounds like the ding! from a symphonic triangle. Cook is wearing the entry-level Sport version of the watch, with a white plastic wristband. It's the first time in nearly two hours that he's received a notification, and he says it's a text message from his assistant that Al Gore, an Apple board member, would like to speak with him.

The electronic interruption doesn't require Cook to extract his iPhone from his pocket, one of the key attributes Apple believes will drive adoption of the watch. It does give him an opportunity to show off some of the watch's features, including the iconic Mickey Mouse watch face, cleverly updated so that the Disney mascot cheerfully taps his feet at the rate of one per second. A self-described fitness nut, Cook proudly shows off his daily physical activity as measured by the watch. So far he has clocked 50 minutes of exercise and has traveled 8,139 steps, or about four miles. An early riser, he has been on his feet for 12 hours, and it's not quite 3:30 p.m. His workday, and his job leading Apple, are far from over.
Check out our World's 50 Greatest Leaders list here. This story is from the April 1, 2015 issue of Fortune. It originally stated that the Siri product launch occurred days after Steve Jobs died. The event was the day before his death.

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Tim Cook assumed he was ready forthe harsh glare that shines on Apple's (AAPL) CEO. He had, after all, filled in for Jobs three times during the Apple founder's medical leaves of absence. Cook ultimately became the company's chief executive six weeks before Jobs died, in October 2011.

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In Module 1, we discussed the management skills of Steve Jobs and how a lot of his employees were afraid to talk to him about things. I chose this article that talks about Apple products being addictive and bad for children and the reason why I chose this is because I am curious to know what Steve Jobs’ reaction would have been to this article. Would he agree? Or would he fight to prove that these devices stemming from a company he created aren’t bad for children? After reading this article, it makes me wonder if Apple creates products to attract all users, regardless of the age of the user.