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Ron Johnson: Trust in Your Imagination and Instinct
27 segments available
Everyone thinks they innovate, but most of the time it's just improvement, shared former Apple Senior Vice President of Retail Operations Ron Johnson at his View From the Top talk at Stanford GSB. "To win in business, you have to let the imagination run." During his conversation with Stanford GSB student Amanda Facelle (MBA '14), Johnson also shared the biggest life lesson he learned from Steve Jobs: "You have to be willing to start again." More about the View From The Top speaker series: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/vftt All View From The Top videos: http://www.youtube.com/course?list=EC5C14B375A7F2FEA8
Segments Timeline
Starstruck Encounter
Amanda Facelle shares her memorable first encounter with Ron Johnson, the former Apple executive, at Stanford. She describes her excitement and how she approached him to invite him to speak at the View From the Top series, highlighting the significance of networking and seizing opportunities in business.
"[Music] so Ron thank you so much for coming we've been very excited to have you here Y and I thought um before I go into the format for today's talk I wanted to just tell everyone how you and I first ..."
From Sports to Stanford
Ron Johnson reflects on his childhood passion for sports and how it shaped his character. He shares his journey to Stanford, emphasizing the importance of friendships and the competitive nature of college admissions, which ultimately led to a successful academic career despite not being a top student.
"were sitting here today so I remember that day but in her defense I do say yes to anything Stanford so it wasn't Amanda it was just Stanford no I'm kidding um I'm we're just lucky you're here and um s..."
Influence of Family
Johnson discusses the impact of his father's career at General Mills on his own aspirations. He explains how growing up around business discussions influenced his interests and led him to pursue a career in business, showcasing the importance of familial influence in shaping professional paths.
"but love sports you weren't a great student but you got into Stanford how' that happen it was a lot easier um I remember when I was I came out here and I had a bunch of good friends in high school and..."
The Value of Education
Ron Johnson talks about his experience at Harvard Business School and the lessons learned from case studies. He emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives in problem-solving and how intuition plays a crucial role in business decisions, advocating for innovative thinking over conventional paths.
"great so you came to Stanford and as the dean mentioned you were an econ major did you have any idea what you wanted to do after college was that informing some kind of no I just I was I think a lot o..."
Choosing Retail Over Finance
Johnson explains his decision to pursue a career in retail instead of investment banking, despite lucrative offers. He shares his belief in gaining hands-on experience in the industry and how retail's dynamic nature aligns with his passion for people and fast-paced environments.
"think living on the East Coast was a wonderful life experience and it's kind of nice to have the chance to live in different places so it worked out really well agreed agreed so you I'm curious to kno..."
Starting from the Ground Up
Ron Johnson recounts his early career at Mvin, where he chose to start in a low-level position to learn the business from the ground up. He discusses the importance of patience and hard work in achieving success, highlighting how foundational experiences contribute to long-term knowledge and expertise.
"about execution teamwork but sometimes picking the unexpected path great so you you said I remember hearing in an interview before that you said the retail cases and the retail CEOs and Founders that ..."
The Evolution of Retail
Johnson reflects on the changing landscape of retail during his career, noting the rise of innovative leaders and the shift towards specialty stores. He discusses how the retail environment was evolving and how he positioned himself to succeed in a meritocratic field, emphasizing the importance of adaptability.
"all cases the people who led companies had grown up with their company or with that industry it was rare there was a consultant leading a company all that happens it was typically people that had real..."
Innovative Partnerships at Target
Ron Johnson shares his experiences at Target, focusing on his innovative collaborations with designers like Michael Graves. He highlights the success of unique product lines, such as the iconic tea kettle, showcasing how creativity and partnerships can redefine retail merchandising.
"picking kind of a startup field where a lot of young people were leading these so it was on Mickey was 34 I think when he went to the Gap wow so in retailing because it's a meritocracy you can see the..."
Democratizing Design
In this segment, Johnson explains his vision for making beautiful design accessible to everyday consumers. He recounts his collaboration with Michael Graves and the launch of the iconic tea kettle, emphasizing the disconnect between high-end design and affordability in retail.
"designer and architect Michael Graves and brought a whole line of products especially the the famous tea kettle with the bird whistle on top I was curious how did this idea for the democratization of ..."
The Essence of Innovation
Johnson reflects on the true nature of innovation versus mere improvement. He shares insights from his time at Apple, where he learned that real innovation stems from imagination and the willingness to challenge conventional thinking. He emphasizes the importance of letting imagination lead in business.
"and Michael Graves had designed a tea kettle in 1984 this is now 10 years later that was still the bestselling tea kettle in the world alessie made it it sells a million tea kettles a year of this one..."
Overcoming Resistance at Target
Johnson recounts the challenges he faced when proposing the partnership with Michael Graves at Target. He discusses the skepticism from colleagues and the need to trust one's instincts to innovate. This segment highlights the importance of perseverance and vision in the face of doubt.
"it's something that hadn't been thought of before when I worked at Apple Steve was the best at this but anytime you imagine something you're going to be stuck battling reality filters you know kind of..."
Creating the Apple Store Experience
Johnson shares his journey of joining Apple and the opportunity to create the revolutionary Apple Store. He discusses how he trusted his imagination to design a customer-centric experience, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face interactions and a welcoming environment.
"differentiation and I think the grav thing was one of the parts of it but the lesson of graves is you don't have to be the senior person in the company to impact the company I was kind of a middle you..."
The Impact of High-Speed Internet
In this segment, Johnson reflects on the launch of Apple Stores during a time when most Americans were still using dial-up internet. He discusses how the Apple Store experience was designed to showcase the power of high-speed internet and create a community space for customers.
"entire retail industry and Steve was looking to launch stores and he said Ron you get to do it all you get to do the real estate the store design the people on and on and on and I thought a chance to ..."
Lessons from Steve Jobs
In this segment, Johnson recounts a pivotal conversation with Steve Jobs about the importance of being willing to start again. He emphasizes how Jobs valued clarity of purpose and the courage to rethink and redesign, drawing parallels to the iterative process of filmmaking at Pixar.
"Steve clearly trusted in your imagination I'm sure everyone's dying to know a little bit more about what it was like to work with Steve um and so I'm wondering to ask a specific question what's the on..."
The Courage to Start Again
Johnson shares a memorable lesson from Steve Jobs about the necessity of re-evaluating and redesigning projects. He illustrates this with the example of the Apple Store's design, emphasizing that true innovation requires the willingness to start over and prioritize quality over speed.
"you only have to talk to me when you want to do something you don't know how I think you know so he had this intense way of developing these close relationships and the first time we met in an intervi..."
The Importance of Clarity and Delegation
Johnson reflects on Steve Jobs' unique approach to leadership and delegation. He explains how Jobs fostered close relationships with his team, allowing for freedom in execution while maintaining a clear vision, which ultimately led to successful innovations at Apple.
"the store is organized all wrong we've organized it like a retail store around products but if Apple's going to organize around activities like music and movies well the store should be organized arou..."
Fast Changes and Lessons at J.C. Penney
Johnson discusses his experience at J.C. Penney, where he attempted rapid changes to revitalize the brand. He acknowledges the mistakes made in moving too quickly and reflects on the lessons learned about the importance of pacing and understanding the organization’s readiness for change.
"willing if you rethink things to have the courage to start again and I think that would be the memory I remember from Steve you know one of them thank you so I want to take the time now to go to J C P..."
Navigating Resignation and Transformation
In this segment, Johnson shares the emotional journey of his resignation from J.C. Penney after a challenging year of transformation. He discusses the complexities of leadership, the board's decisions, and the painful realities of navigating change within a large organization.
"when I was at Apple in 2002 people forget this apple sales were down 38% to 2001 Apple had to make major transitions to build its new business model and it leveraged its cash position to do that so I ..."
Understanding CEO Dynamics
Johnson discusses the unique challenges of being a CEO, particularly the difficulty in gauging honest feedback from employees. He reflects on the need to build trust and relationships in a new role, emphasizing that trust must be earned rather than assumed. This insight sheds light on the nuances of leadership and organizational dynamics.
"a boort if you want to do that you ought to find someone who can really help that model work if you want to go forward I'm all in and we will make this work but I know it's painful yeah and I remember..."
The Evolution of Retail
In this segment, Johnson addresses the future of retail, responding to Mark Andreessen's hypothesis about the decline of brick-and-mortar stores. He argues that while physical stores will evolve, they will remain relevant as experiential spaces. Johnson highlights the shift towards online commerce and the need for retail to adapt to changing consumer behaviors.
"number one issue is fit it wasn't a good fit for your passions and your style and your skills I think he's right on that and so it's kind of a relief to get away from that quite frankly because it was..."
Creating Intimate Retail Experiences
Johnson elaborates on the importance of creating intimate and engaging retail experiences. He compares the Apple Store's design philosophy to his personal projects, emphasizing the need for connection and personalization in retail. This segment underscores the significance of experience over mere transactions in the evolving retail landscape.
"of time has a big big impact on speed um but ultimately as a leader you need to have the teams earn the team's trust and you earn trust you aren't granted trust that's my sense thank you Ron so to mov..."
Designing for Connection
Reflecting on his personal life, Johnson shares his experience of building a home in France, drawing parallels to his work in retail design. He discusses the importance of creating spaces that foster connection and comfort, likening the process to designing an Apple Store. This segment highlights the intersection of personal passion and professional expertise.
"think we're going to look at stores pretty soon and say God it was like they were just public warehouses if you think about a big department store it's just lots of stuff that we go pick out of but it..."
Looking Ahead: Embracing Change
In the closing segment, Johnson contemplates his future and the evolving nature of risk-taking in his career. He reflects on the lessons learned from his time at JC Penney and how they shape his approach to new opportunities. This discussion emphasizes the importance of adaptability and resilience in leadership as one navigates the complexities of life and career.
"becomes a huge part of your life thanks so so going forward I wanted to know you what's next and maybe a little side question to that is do you think you're more reserved about taking risks now after ..."
Investing in New Ventures
Johnson outlines his plans for the future, including the establishment of Johnson Partners, a fund that connects venture capital firms with startups. He shares his passion for creating new things and building teams, emphasizing collaboration and innovation.
"but I took a year to kind of think it through and so after the pennies thing which was really hard I made the decision not to say yes to any board seats CEO jobs volunteer jobs but just to make myself..."
Lessons from JC Penney
In this segment, Johnson reflects on his time at JC Penney, discussing the investments made in store environments and the challenges faced with pricing strategies. He emphasizes the importance of integrity in pricing and the lasting impact of physical store upgrades.
"handful of firms and their companies uh and then uh working on uh uh some other things that I can't talk about yet but well we're going to be excited to see what those are yeah so um I think I've take..."
Authenticity Over Success
Johnson shares insights on what differentiates successful individuals in business. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and genuine passion for work over the pursuit of personal advancement, highlighting how this mindset has shaped his career.
"you so we have mics we going to be passing looks like we have some questions up here please state your name and your affiliation to the GSB and stand up please okay hey I'm Henry I'm an MBA student uh..."
Standing by Values
Discussing his decision to support Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson for JC Penney, Johnson reflects on the ethical implications of business decisions. He emphasizes the importance of aligning brand values with personal values, advocating for integrity in corporate actions.
"sort of happened looks like we have time for one more okay so another Twitter question from uh Sam dubo this is a good one um he said how did you approach the decision to stand by Ellen as a brand amb..."