【商業智慧】喬布斯：「專注意味著學會說不。」“Focusing is about saying no” said Steve Jobs

蘋果創辦人喬布斯曾言道：「專注意味著學會說不。」他相信，真正的專注並不是一味說好，而是要拒絕許多不錯的想法，並專心致志於研究卓越的想法。

1998年，喬布斯將蘋果的產品線從350個縮減到僅餘的10個，將「學會說不」的原則付諸實行。結果，蘋果成功生產了十款改變科技行業的產品。

很多人認為，專注就代表著你要用意志力去集中，防止有其他事物擾亂自己。但對喬布斯而言，專注不關乎意志力，而是一開始就要把那些會擾亂自己的事物砍掉。

在商業和設計領域，往往「刪減」才能增加產品的價值。我們必須有勇氣捨棄平庸的想法，專注於真正卓越的事物，才能創造傑作。

1997年，蘋果經歷了巨大的動盪。由於節日銷售額遠低於目標，公司展開了重大的重組。蘋果高級管理層制定了「熱門清單」和「淘汰清單」，以決定公司應繼續投放金錢於哪些項目。拒絕浪費時間的事，讓我們能夠重新評估優先事項，調整項目範疇，並重新投入更長遠的目標。

有一次喬布斯與Nike行政總裁馬克·派克的交談中，他表示專注不是表示答應一切，而是學會婉拒那些讓人們分心的工作。他再次強調企業家要學會適當的拒絕，讓心思花在優先事項。這種心態有助於創新，並營造出有利於突破的環境。

說「好」雖可能讓我們看似很有團隊精神，但長遠來看，這可能導致注意力分散和長期疲勞。CNBC 專欄作家蘇西·韋爾奇建議要建立一個如何禮貌地說「不」的清單，以幫助我們更有效地拒絕工作和協商。把「好！」留給值得投資的事項和真正具有影響力的機會。

Founder of Apple, Steve Jobs famously stated, “Focusing is about saying no.” He believed that genuine focus involved rejecting numerous good ideas and zeroing in on the exceptional ones.

In 1998, Jobs demonstrated this principle by reducing Apple’s product line from 350 to a mere 10. As a result, ten extraordinary products that transformed the industry.

Many people think that focusing is about concentrating on a matter without being distracted. Yet, for Jobs, focus wasn’t about willpower; it was the courage to abandon countless great ideas in pursuit of a single, game-changing goal. 

In business and design, subtraction often adds value. Creating masterpieces requires the courage to eliminate mediocrity and focus on excellence. 

In 1997, Apple faced significant turmoil as holiday sales fell short of goals, leading to a major restructuring. Apple executives devised “hot lists” and “hit lists” to determine which projects warranted funding. Saying “no” enables us to reevaluate priorities, fine-tune projects’ scopes, and recommit to larger goals. 

In a conversation with Nike’s CEO Mark Parker, he told Parker that focus isn’t merely about saying “yes”; rather, it’s about skillfully declining captivating and intelligent tasks that steer people away from their most essential priorities. He emphasised the importance of saying “no” to distractions and concentrating on top priorities. This approach fosters innovation and creates an environment ripe for breakthroughs.

While saying “yes” may make us feel like team players, it can result in distraction and burnout in the long run. CNBC contributor Suzy Welch recommends having a list of polite “no” responses to help decline work or negotiate deadlines more effectively. Save those enthusiastic “yes!” replies for truly impactful opportunities.