Companies and organizations are like families, and no matter how big or small, the best ones always have someone at the top whom everyone else looks to for hope, guidance and inspiration.

At Apple, that inspirational leader is Steve Jobs. He not only founded the company but had a riches-to-rags-to-riches saga. He was fired only to come back years later and not only save Apple, but reinvent it completely with the creation of the wildly popular iPod. And, Jobs does this despite being famously known as a legendary asshole and jerk who is prickly and difficult even on his best days.

In other words, Apple is Steve Jobs and Steve Jobs is Apple. The fortunes of the company, for better or worse, are wrapped up in his persona. So when rumors pop up about Steve Jobs’ health, even when they are false, it’s big news both on Wall Street, as well as within Apple.

The latest Steve Jobs health rumors surround his decision not to appear at the annual Mac World show, which begins today in San Francisco. This has always been a place where Jobs has introduced new Apple products to great fanfare, so his decision to skip it became a big deal and fueled new speculation about his health.

Well, Jobs now (finally) says he does have a health problem—either a hormone imbalance or a nutritional ailment of some sort. The problem is described as treatable, but if you are an Apple stockholder who has seen the stock share price take a hit whenever the latest Jobs health rumor comes out, this is disconcerting news.

The focus of the Steve Jobs health stories ALWAYS seems to be the stock price: That is, what is the impact of the uncertainty about Jobs on the price per share? That’s important, of course, but what gets lost in these stories is this:

What is the impact of all these rumors on Apple’s workforce? How do employees feel about the up-and-down state of health of their charismatic leader? What happens if he can’t continue as CEO?

This is not an insignificant question. Although the HR perspective is simply that the health of any employee is a private matter, that is an extremely shortsighted view when it comes to the CEO, or any key executive. Yes, everyone is entitled to privacy. But don’t the top people—those who set the tenor and tone for where the organization is going— have a duty to be open, honest and upfront with the rank-and-file workers who count on them for that leadership?

This is the problem I have with Jobs and his silence, up until now, about his health. He not only leaves stockholders in the dark, but his workforce and executive team as well. They deserve to know what is going on and not be subjected to the never-ending rumors that surely have a deleterious impact on everyone at Apple.

Jobs has been known to fess up to missteps before. He did it when he made a mistake with iPhone pricing, and his public apology, I noted at the time, was both quick and decisive. And even if you don’t believe it, Jobs’ apology sounded a bit sincere and a tad contrite, which apparently is not his standard operating procedure.

This is the lesson of Jobs: Being frank, open and transparent with the workforce—going beyond company press releases and media hype—is critical for success in the turbulent work environment we all will face in 2009. Steve Jobs has always been an innovator and trendsetter, and it would be great if he could extend this into the area of workforce management by being honest and leveling with his workforce about what is going on with him. As with the iPod, it might just set a new standard for everyone else in the process.

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