--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think of a traditional CEO as being…" description: "\"I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from customers. A lot of consumer company CEOs - they're not really interacting with consumers.\" — Tim Cook" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png" --- # I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from… ![“I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from customers. A lot of consumer company CEOs - they're not really interacting with consumers.” quote by Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png) > “I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from customers. A lot of consumer company CEOs - they're not really interacting with consumers.” [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. CEOs often become detached from customers, especially in consumer sectors, limiting insight. **In simple terms:** CEOs can be disconnected from customers. Key Takeaway Maintain direct consumer engagement. Themes leadership customer focus disconnection Mood strategic optimistic Type business practical When to use this quote - product development - marketing - feedback loops Key Concepts business strategy empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders stay connected at scale? - What tools foster genuine customer interaction? A Different Perspective May be unrealistic for large firms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceos/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer/) ## Related quotes > [There are American directors I'd really like to work with, but I don't know how much I want to be sitting in my house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romola-garai/there-are-american-directors-i-d-really-like-to-work-with-but-i-don-t/) [Romola Garai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romola-garai/) > [Our DNA is as a consumer company - for that individual customer who's voting thumbs up or thumbs down. That's who we think about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/our-dna-is-as-a-consumer-company-for-that-individual-customer-who-s/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I have always been very tech-focused, which you may almost say is the traditional CEO in Silicon Valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-birch/i-have-always-been-very-tech-focused-which-you-may-almost-say-is-the/) [Michael Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-birch/) > [I think if there's any difference between me and a traditional CEO, it's that I've been unwilling to change myself or shape my personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mason/i-think-if-there-s-any-difference-between-me-and-a-traditional-ceo-it/) [Andrew Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mason/) > [We are a consumer company and our success is directly linked to our users trusting us. Therefore we have the same incentive as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wojcicki/we-are-a-consumer-company-and-our-success-is-directly-linked-to-our/) [Susan Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wojcicki/) > [I think the iPhone is the best consumer product ever. That's what I feel about it. And it's become so integrated and integral to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-think-the-iphone-is-the-best-consumer-product-ever-that-s-what-i/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The best board members aren't elected by default. CEOs that set themselves up with their choice of board member - which means getting more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/the-best-board-members-aren-t-elected-by-default-ceos-that-set/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [The shining star in the world is Shanghai. That's what CEOs from big companies say - 'if I want mathematical analytical work done, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-rosling/the-shining-star-in-the-world-is-shanghai-that-s-what-ceos-from-big/) [Hans Rosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-rosling/) > [I don't understand why people whose entire lives or their corporate success depends on communication, and yet they are led on occasion by CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/i-don-t-understand-why-people-whose-entire-lives-or-their-corporate/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [“We find that firms with award-winning CEOs subsequently underperform, in terms both of stock and of operating performance. At the same time, CEO compensation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/we-find-that-firms-with-award-winning-ceos-subsequently-underperform/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [You don't characterize CEOs as dealmakers or in any one particular area. An important characteristic of a CEO is leader. That's probably the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ramsey/you-don-t-characterize-ceos-as-dealmakers-or-in-any-one-particular/) [Michael Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ramsey/) > [CEOs are paid for doing a terrible job. If the system wasn't so messed up, guys like me wouldn't make this kind of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/ceos-are-paid-for-doing-a-terrible-job-if-the-system-wasn-t-so-messed/) [Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/) > [There's something to be said for CEOs' entering politics: In theory, they have management expertise and financial savvy. Then again, it didn't work so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-kristof/there-s-something-to-be-said-for-ceos-entering-politics-in-theory/) [Nicholas Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-kristof/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“It seems some CEOs who pay extremely large acquisition premiums … come to believe their own press.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/it-seems-some-ceos-who-pay-extremely-large-acquisition-premiums-come/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) ## More by Tim Cook > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Televisions are devices with screens that things appear on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/televisions-are-devices-with-screens-that-things-appear-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Apple is this great American company that could have only happened here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/apple-is-this-great-american-company-that-could-have-only-happened/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Our goal has never been to make the most. It's always been to make the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/our-goal-has-never-been-to-make-the-most-it-s-always-been-to-make-the/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [It's hard to edit. It's hard to stay focused. And yet, we know we'll only do our best work if we stay focused. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/it-s-hard-to-edit-it-s-hard-to-stay-focused-and-yet-we-know-we-ll/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The reality is, is that we love competition, at Apple. We think it makes us all better. But we want people to invent their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-reality-is-is-that-we-love-competition-at-apple-we-think-it-makes/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I love museums. But I don't want to live in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-love-museums-but-i-don-t-want-to-live-in-one/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [From an app point of view, if you looked at innovation on the PC, you'd be hard pressed to find companies innovating. The list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/from-an-app-point-of-view-if-you-looked-at-innovation-on-the-pc-you-d/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Without encryption, you and I wouldn't be able to do our banking online. We wouldn't be able to buy things online, because your credit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/without-encryption-you-and-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-do-our-banking/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [We have never said that we're perfect. We've said that we seek that. But we sometimes fall short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/we-have-never-said-that-we-re-perfect-we-ve-said-that-we-seek-that/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Those who try to achieve success without hard work ultimately deceive themselves-or worse-deceive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/those-who-try-to-achieve-success-without-hard-work-ultimately-deceive/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The pre-owned market allows us to reach customers who really want an Apple device but can't really reach that point. I think it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-pre-owned-market-allows-us-to-reach-customers-who-really-want-an/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [America is always stronger when we do things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/america-is-always-stronger-when-we-do-things-together/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) [Explore all 213 Tim Cook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) ## More Being quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) [Browse all 18,139 Being quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from customers. A lot of consumer company CEOs - they're not really interacting with consumers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Cook" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-divorced-from-customers-a-lot/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-divorced-from-customers-a-lot/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/tim-cook-1729_being_i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-di_2581618.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think of a traditional CEO as being divorced from customers. A lot of consumer company CEOs - they're not…” — Tim Cook", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tim Cook", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think of a traditional CEO...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-divorced-from-customers-a-lot/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/i-think-of-a-traditional-ceo-as-being-divorced-from-customers-a-lot/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```