Steve Jobs loathed consulting firms

Steve Jobs was famously skeptical about the value of consultants. He firmly believed that the true engine of innovation and progress at Apple was its internal teams. The reasons for his disdain were multifaceted. At the heart was his mantra, “Real Artists Ship.” This signified that while consultants might be rich in ideas, it’s the dedicated internal teams that turn these ideas into tangible products. Execution, for Jobs, was paramount, and he felt that those who were with Apple full-time were the real contributors, seeing products from inception to delivery.

Jobs also emphasized the commitment and unified vision that internal teams brought to the table. Apple’s hallmark was its holistic approach to product design and development. All departments, from design to engineering to marketing, operated under a cohesive vision. Consultants, being external, might introduce ideas that could disrupt this harmony. Jobs believed that people who are “all in” on a project are bound to deliver better, simply because of their emotional and intellectual investment.

Then, there was also the issue of accountability.
Jobs felt that internal teams had a greater sense of ownership over their projects. They were more accountable for their decisions and bore the consequences of those decisions, good or bad. In contrast, consultants, even if well-meaning, might not face the same ramifications for their recommendations. For Apple, under Jobs, the heart and soul of innovation resided within its walls, with the people who were fully committed to its vision and success.