He was a visionary, a brilliant designer and an engaging showman. He also had a extraordinary feel for the American/technologically advanced consumer marketplace, although it took some time for him to fine-tune the offerings.
All that said, he wasn't quite as popular with employees as he was with investors and customers, because he apparently had a very intense drive to create the next big thing. No slackers allowed at Apple! If only we could all be as passionate as Steve Jobs was...