As has been posted on possibly all computer and news related websites and blogs, Apple has published an announcement of Steve Jobs taking a leave until June for health reasons. (Source: TUAW.com)
He sent out a message to the employees at Apple stating that he really needs to get out of the community spotlight and focus on his health. Also, his health situation seems to be more serious than previously thought.
The guy deserves a rest, I guess, even if he weren't ill he must have been needing a period of non-attention. I mean, for the past decade he has been making Apple what it is today, one of the greatest brands known to the general public. He pushed Apple way beyond computers only.
Maybe I am the only one, but the start of the letter strikes me as being very personal. He starts his letter with one single word: "Team". I've worked at a lot of corporations, but I've never encountered the term "Team" as a start of an email (from the CEO). Usually it's "to all", or "dear employees" .. or something of these quite impersonal terms, sometimes the email just starts. This one word shows to me that Apple is a tight company, where hard work and excellence is rewarded, and that management is involved just as deep into development as the "workers". Usually management pretends to be on top of a mountain "guarding" the "workerfolks".. and getting bonusses for that.
No, this shows that Steve is part of the team, not just "somewhere up there". And I guess that's true for all managers in Apple.
In any case, I wish Steve all the best, that he may enjoy his period of rest and recover soon! And I hope the community will leave him alone too..
(By the way... name a few CEOs which you mention by their first name? I guess that also says something about the status of Steve Jobs)