With Just 9 Words, Tim Cook’s Farewell Email Taught a Lesson for Every Leader
The Cook era is over. His last note to employees is a revealing look at what he cared about most.
EXPERT OPINION BY JASON ATEN, TECH COLUMNIST @JASONATEN
Apple CEO Tim Cook attends the premiere of Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso” season 4 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California on July 27, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)
Yesterday was the end of what is arguably the most successful tenure of a modern CEO. Tim Cook, who served as CEO at Apple for 15 years, stepped down from his role on Monday, passing the baton to John Ternus, a 25-year veteran who most recently served as SVP of hardware engineering. Cook will stay on as Executive Chairman, and he has said he’s eager to help in any way he can, but the most highly anticipated tech company CEO succession is finally here.
The company looks a lot different than
The company looks a lot different than it did when Cook took over. It grew more than 1100 percent during his tenure, becoming the most profitable and—for much of that time—the most valuable company on earth. That’s largely due to the success of the iPhone, as well as the services business that Cook nurtured into what would—by itself—be a Fortune 100 company.
And yet, there are things that make Apple distinctive. Other companies make smartphones and wireless earbuds, but none of those products is quite like AirPods. In an email to employees on his last day as CEO, Cook shared a few final thoughts that explain why.
“There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary.”
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I think most people who have followed Apple
I think most people who have followed Apple for any significant amount of time, would agree that there is something special about the company. At a minimum, there’s something unique about the people who gave us iconic products like the Mac and the iPod and even the Apple Watch. According to Cook, that comes from Apple’s culture.
I’ve long thought about it as a company’s internal brand. A brand is the way customers feel about a company. Culture is the way its people feel. It’s the affection employees feel for the people they work with, and the pride and accomplishment they feel about the work they do. It’s whether they think their boss cares about them as a person, not just an employee.
Which is why culture is a tricky thing. Companies say a lot of things about how important culture is, but you cannot manufacture culture like it’s an iPad. It is simply what happens as a result of the way you treat people and the way you value their work.
Source: www.inc.com
