Female Tech Exec

Working for Steve Jobs Almost Broke This Female Exec - and Walking Away Built her Character

Lisa Kostova Season 2 Episode 127

Today I interview Alessandra Ghini, my very first executive coach and a partner at Go Partners.  We talk about what it was like working with Steve Jobs at Apple and how Alessandra survived the most difficult working environment for years before walking away at the peak of the company's rise.  Following her tenure at Apple, Alessandra worked with Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks on relaunching the Starbucks brand.

Alessandra and I discuss:
1) What was Steve Jobs like as a boss and how he would insult his people,
2) How to not get destroyed or infected by a toxic culture,
3) How to not sell your soul destroyed at the hottest company in the world, even if it's led by an iconic figure whom the whole world worships,
4) The bad name Steve Jobs had picked out for one of Apple's products and what made him change his mind (hint, it was not the input of his marketing team)
5) The difference between working with Steve Jobs and Howard Schultz and their distinct CEO styles.
6) How to be financially independent, so you can walk away from a bad situation