The Snitch

Singapore – According to Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple Computer, said in order to inspire innovation, people must be personally motivated to realise their goals.

Speaking at an event organised by NTUC LearningHub earlier this year, Wozniak said “intrinsic rewards” is the key driver to working innovatively. Employers who can harness that emotionally-charged passion in their staff will find that it can be a stronger motivator than offering high wages. Wozniak added that someone who is personally motivated can achieve “extreme” productivity levels without being asked because they like their job.

“Internal passion is when your own head is happy with what you do,” Wozniak said. “It then doesn’t become work – it becomes something fun you want to do.”

He said before starting Apple with Steve Jobs, he had always been interested and passionate for computers, and was willing to keep learning and picking up new skills despite not having any formal training. He said it was this willingness to learn the helped him become a more innovative person as he was forced to figure out the cheapest and fastest way to create something without many resources.

Wozniak defines an innovative person as someone who can think simplistically and come up with a solution, regardless of the task or obstacle. The person does not necessarily have to be book smart or technically skilled, he added. “Academic excellence is important but it’s not everything.”

If parents and leaders can help people find their passion from a young age and nurture that interest, Wozniak believes that businesses can benefit from this source of talent poll.

In the video recorded by Human Resources, Wozniak will share his thoughts on the innovation lessons he has learned throughout his career. He also offers a candid sound bite about Jobs’ management style.