October 4, 2012

A Tribute to Steve Jobs: Gone But Not Forgotten

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” -Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Address, 2005

One year ago on October 5, 2011, we lost a giant in the world of innovation.

There are many things that come to mind when I think of Steve Jobs. If I had to put it into one word, I’d have to say life-changer. Okay. Technically, that may be two words, but seriously, he fed the digital revolution with such passion that even the most reluctant of technology users had to cave. No matter what you thought about him as a human being, when it comes to leadership in the lab of innovation, his legacy is undeniable.

iPod. iPhone. iPad. These magical devices have changed many of our lives for the better.

I have met many professionals over the course of my career who told me that they chose the work they do because they want to “make a difference,” they want to “change lives.” Teachers. Doctors. And yes, even lawyers.

Steve Jobs certainly made a difference.

Our children, and our children’s children, will come to know the legacy of Steve Jobs not because of his part in American History, although it is noteworthy, but because of the personal impact on our activities of daily living from mobile devices and the app revolution he kicked into high gear.

A powerful look at media tributes to Steve Jobs, one year later, was released by Forbes, and Apple also released a fitting tribute and a message from Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Here is the moment Jobs and his co-founder started changing lives: