Tim Cook’s memo to staff on his last day — and his misfired message to all of us

If we’re being honest — and why shouldn’t we? — Tim’s letter to Apple staff on his last day as CEO doesn’t really say much of anything.

The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you. You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that.

I wouldn’t say it’s particularly well-written or insightful, though I suppose parting memos don’t have to be either. But it’s platitude-heavy and its best moment is a Steve Jobs reference:

We bring out the best in each other. We lift each other up. We have made it possible to leave our “dent in the universe,” as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world.

Tim also posted a social media message saying he was “sending lots of love” to the Apple community, but he posted it on X, which ranks low on the list of “best places to indicate love” on the Internet, perhaps just after 4chan.