A Shark. A Dragon. A legendary lesson from Steve Jobs.

Picture this: Kevin O’Leary, the sharp-tongued titan from Shark Tank, being interviewed by Steven Bartlett, the insightful mind from Dragon’s Den. On Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO, O’Leary unveiled a brilliant concept he absorbed straight from the source, Steve Jobs himself, in the 1990s.

The concept is the Signal-to-Noise Ratio.

‘’There is a concept that he understood. That very few people focused on back in the early 90s of signal to signal-to-noise ratio. What was so brilliant about Jobs that I tell even CEO now, and I don’t care if you are an S&P 500 CEO or you are just starting a business. His vision of signal was the top 3 to 5 things you have to get done in the next 18 hrs, not your vision for the business next week or next month or next year, just the next 18 hrs you are awake.

You are going to get those 3 things or 5 things done that you have deemed critical for your mission. They must get done today. anything that stops you from doing that is the noise. So this signal-to-ratio to be successful for Steve Jobs was 80/20. 80-signal 20-noise.

This is a crucial aspect of success that I now understand; it defines an entrepreneur. A man or woman who understands the signal-to-noise ratio, that focuses on that they will be successful. Those that can’t, that get down to 50/50 signal-noise, they fail.

The only other person that I have seen that has a higher ratio than that is Elon Musk. He has no noise. He does not deal with Noise. He is 100% signal 60seconds of every minute, 60 minutes of every hour, for 18 hours he is awake, it’s all signal and look at what he has achieved. And you go back in history, you’re going to find out the geniuses of their time were close to 100 % signal’’ Kevin O’Leary

To truly grasp the elegance of this concept, it’s helpful to see its roots. The Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) isn’t a business buzzword; it’s a fundamental principle borrowed from science and engineering.

In its purest form, SNR is a precise measurement. It compares the level of a desired signal, like a clear radio transmission or the melody of a song, to the level of background noise, the static, the hiss, the interference. It’s defined as the ratio of signal power to noise power, often expressed in decibels (dB).

Think of it this way: A high SNR means a strong, clear signal with little noise. This is a crisp conversation in a quiet room, or a perfect Wi-Fi connection. A low SNR means the signal is weak and drowned out by noise. This is trying to hear a whisper in a roaring stadium, or a distant radio station fading in and out.

In the context of business, this engineering concept becomes a powerful leadership filter. The “signal” is the work that actually drives meaningful results and moves you toward your strategic mission. It is the core output that creates value, growth, and impact. The “noise” is everything else: the interruptions, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and low-value activities that consume time and energy without contributing to your key objectives.

• SIGNAL is closing a major sale. It’s shipping a key product feature, crafting a winning strategy, or mentoring a high-potential employee.
• NOISE is an unnecessary meeting that could have been an email. It’s constantly checking a cluttered inbox, navigating tedious approval processes for minor expenses, or generating a report that no one acts upon.

Practical Strategies for Implementation

📅 Plan Your Day the Night Before

Start each day with a clear target rather than letting your inbox or other people’s priorities dictate your focus. Before you end your workday, identify the 3-5 signal activities that must get done tomorrow. This simple practice creates intentionality and helps you hit the ground running.

🎯 Manage Your Noise Actively

Recognise that noise isn’t always obvious. Sometimes what appears to be important, like a friend’s unexpected visit during work hours or an invitation to join another committee, is actually noise that pulls you away from your signal. This requires honest self-assessment and the courage to say no, even to good things, in service of great things.

Create boundaries around your signal time. This might mean: Blocking off deep work hours on your calendar, turning off notifications during critical focus periods, delegating decisions and tasks that don’t require your unique contribution, and setting expectations with colleagues about your availability

⚖️ Be Prepared to Pivot

Today’s business world is incredibly dynamic. Market conditions shift, customer needs evolve, and competitive landscapes transform overnight. Your signal today might not be your signal tomorrow, and that’s okay. The key is maintaining the discipline to identify what matters most right now while staying flexible enough to adjust when circumstances change.

This doesn’t mean abandoning your strategic vision; it means being tactically agile in how you pursue it. Great leaders regularly reassess their priorities and aren’t afraid to change course when new information emerges.