This quote raises an interesting point about the difference between 'success' and 'successful relationships'. Jobs is admired for his 'success' at Apple and elsewhere - he is not particularly admired for his 'unsuccessful relationships'. Each of us has to choose whether we want to be 'liked' or 'respected' within our workspace. Bad karma is bad karma - it should not have to be tolerated from a jerk whether he/she is a 'living legend' in his/her industry or merely a 'legendary abuser' within his/her workspace. I believe we are all collectively responsible if Steve Jobs is a jerk - we collectively praise him no matter how he treats others. If Steve Jobs is a jerk than it is because we all tolerate his inappropriate behaviour - it is too easy to say he is a 'genius' and thus 'his' behaviour is thus tolerable. It is also too easy to say he/she is the boss so I have to tolerate his/her abuse. Jobs deserves better from us - our bosses deserve better from us. Ultimately each of us has to take responsibility for our own behaviours and also to be fully accountable for the behaviours of those around us whether they are 'living legends' or not.

Wow, I'm guessing that you admire his professional ability to offend someone.

Maybe he's proving that clear vision and an uncompromising attitude can result in great design. Setting and expecting a high standard that everyone is aware is not the criteria for "asshole". I'm sure everyone that hops on the apple bus know what to expect from the driver - and you can get off at anytime.

I guess the sentence is related to the great article by Peter Elkind on Fortune "The trouble with Steve Jobs". Is that correct? Great article, but I don't change my opinion on Steve Jobs. He is the Leonardo da Vinci of our times (well, almost. Still waiting for his Monna Lisa ...)

Steve Jobs is one of the greatest geniuses of mankind of the last 50 years. At least. Full stop.

I admire his intelligence, his insight, his ingenuity, his passion, his determination. What I don't admire is his being a complete a-hole and treating other people for cruelly. Sorry; there is no excuse for that kind of behavior, and I don't accept any explanations of the genius and insanity going hand in hand. From what I've read, his behavior is beyond childish; it's downright bullying, if not abusive. On top of that is the fact that the man claims to be a Buddhist, yet he belittles and devalues other human beings in a manner that completely contradicts that claim. No, it's not OK to be an a-hole, not to that degree. If he didn't help make people money, he'd never be tolerated, and doesn't deserve to be. Keep him around if you will for the results, but put the heat on him to grow up.

Hmmmm, okay I can relate to hating Steve Jobs for sealing up every mico Apple invention (including their new laptop)so that you can't change your battery when it dies and forcing you to mail the item in for replacement; but other than that I think he's a genuis when it comes to product innovation and taking that product to market. And other than the battery thing Apple's a design powerhouse.

He that has the gold - sets the rules

Steve (Jobs) proves that it can be PROFITABLE (not necessarily OK) to be an asshole. The obvious follow-on question is, what is the relative sustainability of that profitability; furthermore, how does that sustainable profit relate to measurable 'asshole-iosity?'