In
its 23-year lifetime, Microsoft has had three distinct phases. The first, from
1975 to 1989, was characterized by both bold thrusts into new businesses. Among
their many successes were MS-DOS, Word, Excel, Macintosh software and Windows.
The company relied on the success of Windows, banking every penny they had on
its success, which paid off in Microsoft's second phase from 1990, when Windows
3.0 was released, to 1994. Customer driven change also marked phase two.
Customers wanted operating systems that blended the best of Windows, UNIX, and
NetWare, this was the beginning of Windows NT. Customers wanted the best of
Microsoft’s productivity tools to work better together, so Microsoft Office
was created to integrate the software. Recognizing the need to develop
fundamental advances in software, Microsoft created Microsoft research. In 1995
Microsoft entered phase three, taking advantage of tremendous opportunities
offered by the Internet. Since 1995 Microsoft has reinvented itself so that,
today, everything Microsoft creates or updates leverages with the Internet. In
the beginning Gates' was mainly concerned and involved with technical
development of new products in order to attract consumers. Since Microsoft
controls the largest percentage of the market than any of its competitors Gates'
puts more focus on the organization itself and its employees. Microsoft's
mission is to continually advance and improve software technology and to make it
easier, more cost effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. In
order for Microsoft to continue on its fruitful path the development of
intelligent decision makers, otherwise known as managers, must be trained.
Gates' realizes the ROI of his creation relies on every single individual, which
makes up the organization called Microsoft. He also knows he cannot be at the
table to make ever single day-to-day decision, instead of trying to be in a
hundred place at oncece Gates' attempts to train well oiled managers. He has
even published articles that reveal his expectations and qualities he attempts
to instill into Microsoft managers. Here are Bill's ten qualities of a good
employee: 1. Choose a field thoughtfully. By choosing a field one enjoys it
makes it easier to generate enthusiasm towards one's work. This is true for both
a manager and an employee. 2. Hire carefully and be willing to fire. A strong
team is vital, because a mediocre team provides mediocre results, no matter how
well it is managed. 3. Create a productive environment. This is a particular
challenge because it requires different approaches depending on the environment.
Sometimes productivity is maximized by providing everybody his or her own office
and other times by moving everybody into open space. Sometimes financial
incentives stimulates productivity and motivation. Usually a mixture of
approaches is necessary to reach desired productivity. 4. Define success. This
is done by providing employees with a clear definition of success and how they
should measure their achievements. Goals must be realistic. For example, project
schedules must be set those who actually do the work. People will accept a
"bottom-up" deadline they helped set, but maybe overwhelmed by a
schedule imposed from upper management that doesn't map reality. Unachievable
goals undermine an organization. 5. To be a good manager, you have to like
people and be good at communicating. This quality is generally impossible to
fake. If an individual doesn't genuinely enjoy interacting with people it will
be hard to manage well. 6. Develop your people to do their jobs better than you
can. Transfer your skills to them. This is an exciting goal, but it can be
threatening to a manger that is worried about training his replacement. Many
managers like to see their employees increase their responsibility because it
frees them up to tackle new or undone tasks. 7. Build morale. It should be made
clear there's plenty of good will to go around and that there is not just one
hotshot manager getting all the credit. Explain to employees the importance of
their work to the company and customers. Giving people a sense of importance
increases motivation to complete the task to the best of their ability and
provides the feeling of satisfaction after completion. 8. Take on projects
yourself. Managers need to do more than communicate. Nobody wants to work for a
boss who just delegates tasks. It is important for a manager from time to time
to take on less attractive task to provide examples of how his or her employees
should meet challenges. 9. Don't make the same decision twice. Managers should
have the confidence in their well thought out decision in order to not leave any
avenues open for rediscussion. A manager should never have to second-guess
himself or herself. 10. Let people know whom to please. It should be made clear
whom employees have to please, whether it’s the manager, the manager’s boss
or someone else higher up. There is a risk of paralysis when employees start to
question whom they are supposed to make happy. The beauty of Gates' tips is they
are pretty much common sense, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to incorporate
these aspects into his or her employee. Making processes clear and simple always
seems to accomplish the goals it(s) was set out to. Gates' believes in talking
with employees and customers rather than talking at them. By conducting
conversations individuals, especially customers, can understand and allow them
to provide feedback that is taken into consideration allows Gates' to build a
lasting and trusting relationship with employees and customers.