Why has Dear Leader been looking so gaunt? Really, is it any of our business? He's the CEO of a company for crying out loud. If Phil Knight, Steve Forbes, or even the famed Richard Branson appeared to have health problems would their stock tumble and the very future of the thriving companies they founded be brought into question? I think not.
The fact that Steve Jobs had to write a public letter explaining his health status (obviously a very personal thing) is a shame.
Wait. No it isn't.
Apple has created the perception that one person responsible for an entire brand, product line, company and a cultural phenomenon. I understand the fact that Mr. Jobs doesn't want to discuss his health ("So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this") and any other CEO probably wouldn't have to.
But guess what Steve? You brought this on yourself by making (and promoting) yourself as more than a CEO: you brand yourself as The Heart, Soul, and Mind of Apple. You are irreplaceable. You are responsible for its success. You are the foundation upon which Apple is built.
There's nothing wrong with people who have invested in Apple inquiring about (possible) cracks in the foundation.
Image courtesy of Engadget.
