When I finally found the time to delve deeply into a recent Fast Company article on Apple, I was at once bemused, wowed, and inspired. The article, "Invincible Apple: 10 Lessons from the Coolest Company Anywhere," written by Farhad Manjoo, summarizes the key strategies, behaviors, and habits of Apple, and specifically its illustrious CEO Steve Jobs, that continue to propel the company to ever greater heights. 

At the risk of rewriting Manjoo's article, I want to highlight a few remarkable facts and ideas mentioned in an effort to help you rethink your approach to business. Each and every one of these anecdotes caused my jaw to drop, my head to tilt, and my mouth to twist in bemusement as I wondered at the sheer power of their meaning. 

1) Keep It Simple - In 2000, a newly-hired developer at Apple came prepared for a meeting with Steve Jobs with a comprehensive set of PowerPoint slides, ready to wow the CEO with the complexity and thoroughness of his new creation, the predecessor to iDVD. Before the developer could utter a word of his enthusiasm, Jobs wandered to a white board, drew a rectangle and said, "Here's the new application... It's got one window. You drag your video into the window. Then you click the button that says burn. That's it. That's what we're going to make." Thus, iDVD was born. The magic of Apple products are their simplicity. In a world racked with complexity, why not make your customer's life a bit simpler? 

2) Tune Out the Noise - In short, ignore your competitors, and sometimes, even your customers. This recommendation flies strongly in the face of conventional business wisdom. Deceased businessmen everywhere are turning in their graves. My colleagues at Balcom Agency have challenged me in this statement, most feverishly among them Apple-zealot Chip Hanna. So, let me explain. Though Apple stays abreast of trends in its industry, as well as the goings-on of tech up-and-comers and giants, it does not mimic them. As Manjoo states in his article, Apple developers "go into their caves," focusing almost exclusively on creating a product that they believe to be the future of technology. Similarly, unlike competitors Dell and Microsoft, Apple generally doesn't listen to customers' suggestions for product enhancements. While Windows 7 may have been your idea, the iPad most certainly was not. 

3) Take Inspiration From Your Hotel Concierge - Though Apple may not concern itself with its customers' product preferences, it does care about customer service. In an effort to revolutionize the customer experience within the computer industry, Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail Operations Ron Johnson asked customers what they remembered as their best ever customer service experience. The majority pleasantly recalled a hotel concierge. Violà, the Genius Bar emerged. At the Genius Bar, customers can have their iPods, iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks reviewed and repaired, free of charge. In fact, the Genius Bar is so cozy, you expect a Genius to bring you a cappuccino with extra foam, or perhaps even a cold beer. The reality is, if troubleshooting fails, the Genius might just bring you a brand new iPhone. Maybe it's just me, but this definitely beats haggling with Hyderabad over the telephone. 

4) Brand like a God - Martin Lindstrom, brand consultant and author of Buyology: The Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, recently discovered that brain activity within the minds of Apple devotees mimics that of religious fanatics. In short, Apple's branding has been so successful as to rival that of the Catholic Church. Ubiquitous Apple branding has created a monolithic image in the hearts and heads of consumers. From the iconic imagery of a half-eaten apple to the brushed silver of your MacBook Pro and the sleek white earbuds hanging from the ears of every passenger in a New York City subway, Apple has branding down pat. One of the most remarkable anecdotes from Manjoo's article: Apple purchased ad space on every bus bench near Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, where it unveils its new products. As Steve Jobs speaks about new products like the iPad, Apple staff change the imagery from ads about older Apple products to ads about the newly-unveiled product. Apple's marketing efforts coincide with the ticking of clocks and the passing of time. 

5) Step To The Beat of Your Own Drum - Perhaps most shocking among the anecdotes revealed in Manjoo's article is the fact that HP, Microsoft, and Research in Motion (RIM) all delayed releases of iPad-challenging tablets immediately following the release of the iPad. These companies were watching Apple closely and following their lead. Deep in its cave, however, Apple had been listening closely to the beat of its own drum while its competitors got lost in the music. 

Whether or not the above ideas and anecdotes represent business truths is debatable, verging on contentious. That the iPad has generated buzz, however, is fact. And no doubt we can all take a lesson from the man steering a very powerful and seemingly indestructible ship. 

In other words, Think Different.